Mean- Damsel fish!!!!

[discplaya]

I've had a bunch of damsels in my tank since I started it up about 5 months ago. They've lived fine with my snowflake eel, perc clown and hermits for all this time. Last night I introduced some new fish to the tank. A small raccoon butterfly, 2 cleaner wrasse, another perc clown, and a copperband butterfly. I woke up this morning to 2 dead cleaner wrasse, to be exact I found one....the other one "disapeared". throughout the day I've noticed my largest domino damsel picking on all the new fish at random. I found this funny as he's smaller than all the new fish. When I came back home from the bar after watching the Jets take it in the{EDIT LANGUAGE} yet again, I saw that all the damsels were taking turns beating up on the raccoon butterfly. It now has red patches all along both its sides. And if that's not enough, my new perc clown is missing about half its tail.
All the fish have been well fed. Are damsels normally this aggressive towards new tankmates. I'm really pissed that a few $3 fish are killing much more expensive fish that I actually care about.
Has anyone else encountered this with damsels. And If so is there a solution other than just removing these nasty little buggers.

 

[donald]

Use small balls of C-4, when he swims by...BOOM... Plus it will make you feel better

seriously, you will have to remove them, Domino damsels are some of the most aggressive damsels. You might try taking them out and rearanging your rock to get rid of territories but, if you got them out you will be much happier in the long run with them gone.

 

[discplaya]

[hr]
killed the perc clown which was almost twice his size.

 

[discplaya]

Anybody know of an addative or supplement I can use to help heal the raccoon butterfly. Its got what looks like road rash on both its sides.

 

[btb9000]

There is no solution, other than to remove. You can banish them to your sump for a couple months while your butterfly heals up. Once she's all healed up, and settled in, reintroduce the damsels. Should work...

 

[nick76]

Originally Posted by BTB9000
There is no solution, other than to remove. You can banish them to your sump for a couple months while your butterfly heals up. Once she's all healed up, and settled in, reintroduce the damsels. Should work...
No that wont work, they will just try to kill the butterfly again when u put them back into the tank. Damsels do not give up nor change.
Take them back 2 the LFS

 

[ophiura]

Do know, however, that the survival rate of things like cleaner wrasse (in particular) is very poor. I do not suggest getting ANY but two will for sure fail in all but exceedingly large tanks.
I strongly discourage keeping the cleaner wrasse. They may, or may not have been bullied by the damsels.
If you added "another" percula clown (I'm guessing?), that also concerns me, as clowns can be very territorial and it is entirely possible the established clown killed it.
Damsels are highly territorial - it is well known for sure. They will attack divers in the wild. However, it is also entirely possible that there are some other things going on as well, and you may miss things if you focus entirely on the damsels being the cause.

 

[fishpoor]

I had the same problem with my damsels! I lost 2 clowns and a Regal tang before I took him back to the LFS and they gave me a credit. Good luck, I know it ticks you off like it did me!

Fish should learn not to pick on fish that are more expensive than they are

 

[t316]

good one Fishpoor...let me know when you teach them that so I can find out how you did it

 

[discplaya]

The only surviving newcomer is the copperband butterfly, he's essentailly been made to sit in the corner. Luckily, I'm setting up a new tank for my brother's apartment this week. He'll be getting a nice donation of starter fish

. This may leave my tank relatively empty for a while, but at least I'll have a chance of feeding the butterfly and introducing new fish.
Off topic subject...
Do you guys think a Marroon clown would do well with a Perc clown.
My little guy was a little nippy with the new and recently deceased perc. But it was the damsels for sure that did him in.

 

[btb9000]

Originally Posted by Nick76
No that wont work, they will just try to kill the butterfly again when u put them back into the tank. Damsels do not give up nor change.
Take them back 2 the LFS
Ok. Didn't know. I made a promise to myself to never keep Damsels, a while ago.

 

[arod268]

Originally Posted by Discplaya
The only surviving newcomer is the copperband butterfly, he's essentailly been made to sit in the corner. Luckily, I'm setting up a new tank for my brother's apartment this week. He'll be getting a nice donation of starter fish

. This may leave my tank relatively empty for a while, but at least I'll have a chance of feeding the butterfly and introducing new fish.
Off topic subject...
Do you guys think a Marroon clown would do well with a Perc clown.
My little guy was a little nippy with the new and recently deceased perc. But it was the damsels for sure that did him in.
no. two different clowns should never be mixed