Damsel and Clownfish Question!

somethinfishy

somethinfishy

Member
I am new at this! So bare with me =]
I know that a clownfish is a type of damsel. Would it be okay if I had 2 damsels and 2 clowns in my tank? Would they most likely get along?
Thanks!
 
chelly14301

chelly14301

New Member
I would first like to say WELCOME to the saltwater fish world. You can research almost anything about salwater fish there. Now for the answer to your question: A clownfish is not a type of damsel. From my experience the clownfish that I have had over the years tend to be ftimid. On the other hand many of the damsels I have had tend to be very aggressive. It really just depends on the type of damsel you have. The Yellowtail Damsel is less aggressive than other damsels. Hope this helps!
mod edit: Welcome to the boards yourself... please don't suggest competitors to this website on their boards.
 
somethinfishy

somethinfishy

Member
Originally Posted by chelly14301
http:///forum/post/2924913
I would first like to say WELCOME to the saltwater fish world. . You can research almost anything about salwater fish there. Now for the answer to your question: A clownfish is not a type of damsel. From my experience the clownfish that I have had over the years tend to be ftimid. On the other hand many of the damsels I have had tend to be very aggressive. It really just depends on the type of damsel you have. The Yellowtail Damsel is less aggressive than other damsels. Hope this helps!
I have the domino damsel. Black with 3 white spots.
I guess I mispoke, But I heard they are related to the damsel family.
I really like this damsel, and my young sisters have got very attached to it! haha. If I could keep it with the clowns it would be perfect.
 
ilovemytank

ilovemytank

Member
Welcome to the board. A clown fish is in the damsel family and are technically damsels. With that being said their personallity is nothing like the other damsels. They will be seen in the damsels eyes as a " similiar " fish and therrefore a threat to their territory. So there is good chance of them not getting along. I'm willing to bet that there are alot of members out there that have both with no problems. I'm also willing to bet that there are just as many that have had severe problems with both co-existing. Its a risk but might be accomplished. I wouldn't do anything myself that is that risky. Good luck ! Oh yeah, size of your tank and set up makes a major differance on wether this works out.
 
renogaw

renogaw

Active Member
damsels and clowns are distant cousins, like humans and apes. but to say they are damsels is wrong. no one ever calls a damsel a clownfish...
any "dark" damsel is going to be a terror--those with black pigments are usually the worst. i added a yellow tail damsel as the last of my fish, and it's been fine.
 
jimvette1

jimvette1

Member
Clown fish are cousins to Damsels,
Please do more research on Damsels before putting them in your tank!
IMO they are usually very aggressive and very hard to remove when you finally realize this.
Check out some of the more non aggressive species before you make the same mistake I did.

I love the blennies and gobies myself.
Remember my motto: Easy to add to your tank but almost impossible to remove!
 
ilovemytank

ilovemytank

Member
Originally Posted by renogaw
http:///forum/post/2924948
damsels and clowns are distant cousins, like humans and apes. but to say they are damsels is wrong. no one ever calls a damsel a clownfish...
any "dark" damsel is going to be a terror--those with black pigments are usually the worst. i added a yellow tail damsel as the last of my fish, and it's been fine.
I respect your knowledge on this board so I hate that my answer isn't the same as yours . Damsels and clowns are in the same "family" though. I guess humans and apes were at one time long ago too though. LOL
 
creekchub

creekchub

Member
I have 2 of each in my tank and they seem to get along, what I noticed is that the clowns mess each other and the damsel's will mess with each other. I would not put damsel's back in the tank.
Try some clown's and Firefish, that seemed to work pretty good for me.
 
zacg

zacg

Member
i put a pair of clowns in yesterday and i had a yellow blue tail try to kill both of them and i have a domino damsel that swims around with them.
 
kube

kube

Member
i say get rid of the damsels, there evil, they killed five clown fish i bought till i got smart and took that damsels out got another pair of clowns put them in and what do ya know they've been doing grat
 
gmann1139

gmann1139

Active Member
Here are your best circumstances to make this work:
1. Clownfish - Have to be same species. Clownfish are very aggressive towards other breeds of clowns, and unless you have two of the same (ocels, percs, maroon, etc.) you're asking for trouble.
2. Damsels - As has been said, they are holy terrors. They may be fine for months or years, then all of a sudden you'll turn. If you are going to get damsels, get two of the same, and make sure they're significantly closer than the big clown, so that the damsels know who's the boss.
 
shyfish

shyfish

Member
I agree. They not only kill everything you ever add, now and later to the tank they are so mean the actually bite your hands when you service the tank. They actually draw blood! They go for you because they are don't want anything and I mean anything in their territory.
Once I was in a fish store to buy rock and I asked about certian pieces. The owner told me 7.00 per pound except for this one tank. That rock cost 20.00 a pound. When I asked why she said that dam damsel was in there and the extra cash was so nobody would buy it and make her put her hands in that tank. Her husband laughed at her and reached into the tank to get the piece I wanted and sure enough he got bit.
His hand was bleeding! I only paid the regular price for the rock:) but what an awful fish. It was a fish store and the only thing he could put in that tank was rock, and that one fish.
 
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