Yellow tail damsel - bad idea?

chardo

chardo

Member
Just completed an order, and they are throwing in a free fish. I chose the yellow tail damsel. I have a 125 fowlr with a sixline wrasse, percula clown, royal gramma, and banded sleeper goby. With this order, I'm also adding a juvi french angel, yellow tang, and eibli angel.
Is the yellow tail damsel going to mess with everyone? Should I put him in the tank or not?
 
lawman

lawman

Member
Put a yellow tail in my 24 gal aqua pod. Beautiful fish but big mistake for me. It tortured my sebae clown and royal gramma. was a real pain in the neck to catch, but I did. had to trade him in because my clown and royal gramma have been in there since the start.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by Chardo
Just completed an order, and they are throwing in a free fish. I chose the yellow tail damsel. I have a 125 fowlr with a sixline wrasse, percula clown, royal gramma, and banded sleeper goby. With this order, I'm also adding a juvi french angel, yellow tang, and eibli angel.
Is the yellow tail damsel going to mess with everyone? Should I put him in the tank or not?
There are probably more threads on this forum regretting putting damsels in their tanks, and how to get them out, than any other topic. IMO you'll regret it; although the yellowtail isn't the most aggressive damsel, I think it will be the dominant fish in your tank--creating tons of stress on your vulnerable new fish. Those angels will be prime targets.
 
lazypinoy

lazypinoy

Member
i had a yellow tail damsel. worst idea ever for me. kept attacking all my fish. had to take to take them by taking all my rocks out.
 
nicetry

nicetry

Active Member
Originally Posted by srfisher17
IMO you'll regret it; although the yellowtail isn't the most aggressive damsel, I think it will be the dominant fish in your tank--creating tons of stress on your vulnerable new fish. Those angels will be prime targets.
I seriously doubt you'll have any problems with the damsel, although the six line might be nasty towards it at first. Your tank size will minimize aggression. Your angels won't be bothered at all. The biggest worry with these damsels is keeping them in a small tank with smaller tankmates which they can pester. By in large, the damsel will go about it's business. Actually having it added after the other small fish you mention will help out a lot. I've always kept this species of damsel and have a pair in my 120 at present. The larger one squares off with the clowns every so often, but then just backs off. It has never even come close to any of my angels, butterflies or tang.
 
renogaw

renogaw

Active Member
the yellowtail is *supposed* to be one of the least aggressive damsels. i probably am going to take the chance once i get a couple more fish with one of them. they are so beautiful.
 
nicetry

nicetry

Active Member
Originally Posted by renogaw
the yellowtail is *supposed* to be one of the least aggressive damsels. i probably am going to take the chance once i get a couple more fish with one of them. they are so beautiful.
Buy them small and add them after any other small/shy fish and you should be okay. Depending on tank size a group of 3-5 is nice.
 
alix2.0

alix2.0

Active Member
i have one in my 30, and ive never had problems with him. he protects his rock but doesnt bother anyone unnessecarily.
 
nietzsche

nietzsche

Active Member
make sure to have it one of the last fish added. even though it says they are the least aggressive they are still aggressive. i added one to my 28 and added a royal gramma afterwards... he just punished the poor guy for a week until he finally let him swim around. when they feed the damsel has to make sure hes the only one eating, otherwise hell scare the gramma away
its likely that itll keep punishing other fish as long as its in the tank. it never bothered the fish that were there before him though
 
rcoultas

rcoultas

Member
Originally Posted by nicetry
Buy them small and add them after any other small/shy fish and you should be okay. Depending on tank size a group of 3-5 is nice.
I agree with getting them small and adding them last, however, I have twice tried to put schooling numbers in a tank and it doesn't work with these guys - they will single out one or two and pick them to death then they will sometimes pester other tankmates. IMO they are not worth the trouble they cause (more often than not).
 
grumpygils

grumpygils

Active Member
Originally Posted by Chardo
Just completed an order, and they are throwing in a free fish. I chose the yellow tail damsel. I have a 125 fowlr with a sixline wrasse, percula clown, royal gramma, and banded sleeper goby. With this order, I'm also adding a juvi french angel, yellow tang, and eibli angel.
Is the yellow tail damsel going to mess with everyone? Should I put him in the tank or not?
Run for your life!
Mc
 
anonome

anonome

Active Member
I see a 20g tank being set up somewhere else in the house.......my crystal ball experience.

When small they are great, but can get big and boisterous pretty quick.
 
chardo

chardo

Member
Not exactly a consensus. Seems like it could work in a larger tank like mine, but you never know. The order should arrive tomorrow, so I have less than 24 hours to decide what to do with the damsel. Any other opinions?
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by Chardo
Not exactly a consensus. Seems like it could work in a larger tank like mine, but you never know. The order should arrive tomorrow, so I have less than 24 hours to decide what to do with the damsel. Any other opinions?
My son, in high school, refers to the answer as a "swirlee".
 
chardo

chardo

Member
Originally Posted by srfisher17
My son, in high school, refers to the answer as a "swirlee".
So you're saying he should swim with the fishes?
 
grumpygils

grumpygils

Active Member
Originally Posted by usefulidiot213
I have the same damsel in a 100gal, and I call him Satan....

And like mine I assume his little heart beats black as night!
 
chardo

chardo

Member
Well the order just arrived. I'm about to acclimate. Any last words? Should he stay or should he go?
 
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