Is an all damsel tank feasible?

[the infamous sea cucumber]

Im throwing around some ideas for stocking my new 50gal breeder tank. Its going to be about 70 gal total w/ a 20 gal sump/refugium included. So, im working with about 10-15 inches or so of fish. I was considering an all damsel tank (no, no all blue devils). Rarer damsel types like the starki, allens, crossi, and talbot damsel. Do you think that a larger group 4-5 of these fish would make for an interesting tank? Or would they just become much too aggressive until only one is left.
Any other ideas for interesting tank inhabitants? Just looking for some cool ideas....thanks all

 

[steamboat1569]

When I first set up my tank 5 yrs. ago, give or take, I had three different types of damsels. Domino, Yellow tail blue, and a green kind (can't remember the name). They all got along fine, but any new members to the tank after adding the damsels were picked on by the Dominos.
I still have the yellow tails, and the greens died during a move in a horrible and fatal fall out the back of my truck.

 

[aceiswild7]

if i was gonna do a fish only tank now i would get a school of maybe 10 firefish.. purple if you can afford them.. or mixed.. they are great and they stay together
good luck

 

[byrself]

i had 4 damsels in a 10 gallon at one time (not recommended, but possible =)
they were all different varieties.. 4 stripe, blue devil, green chromis, and a yellow damsel.
i've heard the larger damsels, such as the velvet, are not compatible very well with other damsels.
green chromis make good schooling fish.
my roomate has 2-3stripes and a 4 stripe, and also a blue damsel. you need to have rockwork so they will have cover to hide in though.

 

[the infamous sea cucumber]

Its definately going to be a reef tank, but I really want some colorful/interesting fish to complement things. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[the infamous sea cucumber]

Byself and steamboat,
Your responses sound promising. Sounds like the really big damsels end up dominating. The ones i mentioned all get about the same size at a similar rate. 3-3.5" max. They are all generally listed as semi-agressive. Not as nice as chromis, but not as mean as dominos. Yea or neigh....can 5 damsels of this type co-exist?

 

[steamboat1569]

I would definitely stay away from the dominos. After the two I had picked apart a brand new elegence coral that I purchased, I flushed them down the toilet.
I am definitely against flushing a fish, but these deserved it. Never felt any guilt.

 

[byrself]

as long as they each have their own space, you may be okay. they will have run ins though more than likely.
domino damsels are known to be anemonefish, and might have been trying to host inside your elegance coral as a substitute. could have been what happened to yours, steamboat..

 

[ed r]

I think you would be taking a chance of fighting which would probably increase as they grew. However, you might get away with it. I would thing though that there are so many beautiful reef fish that would be more likely to get along well and be just as interesting without the drawbacks of damsels.

 

[the infamous sea cucumber]

Thanks 4 the imput. I definately was not considering dominos. Ed R, i'd have to say I tend to agree with you....but, i was wondering if damsels display similar behavior to multiple tangs in one tank. I know two tangs means trouble, but 4 or 5 tangs in a big tank seems to work. Scale down the fish (i.e. damsels) in a smaller tank, i thought it could work much like a shoal of tanks

 

[steamboat1569]

Let me clarify on the domino thing. By saying they picked it apart, I mean it litterally. A half hour after introducing the elegence coral, the domino's started eating it, not trying to make freinds. They picked it apart with their mouths, in less than 3 hrs, down to the sketeton.

 

[byrself]

wow steamboat, that's pretty odd. i don't blame you for being a domino hater... i'd a flushed those ba$tards also =)
all fish compatibility (sp?) comes down to the fish... more than just what types.. --- of the fish matters also, but who can tell that from damsels? i know i sure can't, and supposedly not my lfs either. it's really hit or miss with any fish. but i've been told in the past, not to mix damsel species, but have done so to extremes and have had success to a degree. if i had a different --- of damsel, maybe i wouldn't have been so lucky? who knows?, just realize that you are taking a chance of fish being bullied no matter what type of fish you have, or add. you might add a fish that needs to be introduced first, but gets bullied by a (royal gramma, for instance), only because the gramma has established it's territory and the new fish seems a threat to it.. just something to ponder...

 

[anthony812]

DOMINOES TO ME ARE A NO NO UNLESS YOU DONT WANT ANYMORE FISH IN YOUR TANK. iF YOU RELALY LOVE THEM YOU SHOULD ADD THEM LAST BECAUSE THEY ARE TOUGH AND CAN STAY ALIVE BUT IF YOU ADD THEM FIRST ONCE THEY STAKE OUT THEIR SPACE ITS OVER !!!!!!!!!