Keep or ditch damse?

[scubagirl]

I have a reef tank with an assortment of corals and inverts. I have purchased a clown, and lawnmower blenny; and have a damsel (that I got when the tank was first up and running.) Now that I am ready to add more fish, (110 gal) what do you all think about keeping vs. getting rid of the damsel? Thanks for the advise.

 

[badkharma]

Get it out. They are the devil.

:scared:

 

[matti070]

yes they are devils

they are mostly just to cycle. u can use it for food if it attacks anything...anyhoosers, it can be kept by itself by itself, but to have happy fish :happyfish ditch the damsel.

 

[fishman830]

yup, get him out of there!

 

[scubagirl]

Thanks, that's what I thought. Besides, it's ugly. So any advise on how to catch it? It's really fast! Food in a net?

 

[oceanminded]

Hey!!!! Damsels are fish too..........

 

[bang guy]

Since you bought it I believe you now have a responsibility to take care of it.

 

[oceanminded]

Thanks Bang!

 

[calvindo]

Originally posted by oceanminded
Hey!!!! Damsels are fish too..........

LOL

 

[timg]

Keep him. I have one in my tank and he doesn't mess with anyone. I figure I put him through hell and he helped me out(cycle) so he deserves to spend the rest of his life in peace and happiness. Why send him back to the fish store to endure hell over and over until he finally dies.

 

[khaotic2]

I have 2 two stripped Damsels, that I thought were duo devils.

Truth of the matter, they are the life of the tank. It is great fun to watch them dart in and out of the rock chasing one another. Although, I have enough room for them that they don't bother the other fish.

 

[rwhite]

We have 2 in our 55, a 4-Stripe and a Yellow Tail. The 4-s used to think he was king of everything until he messed with the Clarkii. She taught him a lesson or 2 and now he's as peaceful as a lamb and the Y-tail followed suit. On the other hand, the Blue Damsel (Fiji Blue Devil, an appropriate name) wanted the whole 55 to himself. He now lives by himself with a CBS and duster in a small tank upstairs. Just couldnt bear getting rid of him (or the others) since they were our first. Just sentimental I guess, but its a personal decision. If you want to get the damsel out, try to trade it in. Killing is not our hobby, at least give it a chance. Not trying to be preachy, but these are lives we have decide to care for--you wouldnt do it to dog or cat, would you?

 

[scubagirl]

I'm not sure where you all got the idea that I was flushing him, I just don't want him to harm my other animals. I would give him to a good home. Geesh!

 

[saltyrich]

Certain damsels can be a meanace. I have a yellow tail in my tank. He also thought he was the king. My perc and royal gramma straitened that out. Frankly, I thinh that damsels are as much, if not more, of a part of a reef tank as any fish out there. I know that my LFS has yellow tails in all of his beautiful display tanks. Besides, there are just as many problem fish out there that ARE NOT damsels. I'm certain that if we think about it, we've all probably had one too! Keep him. Anyway, if you've got a lot of rock work like I do, you'll tear your tank appart trying to catch him.

 

[scubagirl]

Thanks saltyrich. You're probably right about catching him. He was a suspect for the only fish death I've had and I'm reluctant to add more fish becuase I don't want them to get bullied too. I'd like to get a powder blue and it says that they are very sensative and don't like to be picked on. I guess they'll have to work it out.

 

[texasjenn]

I have two yellow tails, and have since day 1. They only bother new fish, otherwise they just chase each other. I even have a Mandarin Goby (very shy, quiet fish), and they never bother him....I still like mine.

 

[scubagirl]

My damsel is brown with a black stripe. I've only seen a few of them but it's not as pretty as the blue/yellow or even black/white ones.

 

[rwhite]

Sorry, didnt mean to assume that. From your description, it may be a Reticulate Dascyllus judging by the pic I'm looking at in a book. Basically describes the general behavior of most damsels. Is the head a bit darker brown and the body lighter, more or less divided by the black line. Just curious, I've never seen one available in our area.

 

[scubagirl]

I have no idea, it's brown with one black stripe around the head.

 

[scubagirl]

Sort of, if I had a camera worth anything I would attach a picture. The very tips of the tail look almost purple and it has huge eyes. Besides that it pretty much swims in and out of the rock all day. It blends in very well and does like to chase the clown on occasion. I just put a lawnmower blenny in and didn't want it to get picked on.