Yellowtail damsel in a peaceful tank?

[sylvius]

So I recently finished cycling my tank (55 gal FO w/ a little LR) after which I added two yellowtail blue damsels (was told they are the least aggressive of the damsels). The larger damsel harassed the smaller one a little bit, but not too much. A couple of months later when I added a perc and lemon peel, the larger damsel started harassing the smaller a lot more (kept him pinned in the corner of the tank any time the lights were on, chewed up his fins and a few scales). I finally had to take the smaller damsel back to the LFS.
Right now I have the lemonpeel, perc and damsel, but I definitely want to add maybe an orange diamond goby and a smaller wrasse (haven't decided yet what others) and I really want a peaceful tank.
My question is: should I just get the damsel out now and take him back (I'm pretty sure I can catch him) or is he likely to get along OK with the other fish that aren't damsels (he hasn't made any problems for the perc or lemonpeel, but they are much larger than he is).
Thanks for any advice!

 

[reef33]

I have had no problems with mine. My flame angel usually chases him around.

 

[orangespot]

I agree. My yellowtail guards his little area but the perc clown, yellow tang, and coral beauty keep him in check. He makes a nice addition to my peaceful tank.

 

[poniegirl]

My yellowtail has always been the meekest (and smallest) of the crew. If this YTail is already aggressive, though, you may want to stay ahead and return it. Just wonder why you returned the smaller one first?

 

[sylvius]

I am pretty new to this hobby (this is my first marine tank). By the time I realized that the little one was getting really beat up, he already didn't look so good, and I really wanted to get him into a recovery tank.

 

[jrthomas40]

i have a yellowtail and a 3 stripe when i put the first pair of ocellaris in the tank both of the damsels were brutal i had to take them out of the tank rearrange the rock and they were all cool...when i added the 6 line wrasse they chased him into hiding for a few days then were ok when he came out of hiding but unfortunately i have lost 2 pairs of ocellaris not real sure of why

 

[bbb]

Our YT Damsel was the first fish in our tank and it gets chased more than it chases. It defends one spot and is chased from everywhere else. It's tankmates are a bicolor blenny, a chalkbasslet, and a hawian spotted puffer. It did have a problem with a maroon clown that was about the same size but we've moved the clown to another tank.

 

[poniegirl]

Originally Posted by sylvius
I am pretty new to this hobby (this is my first marine tank). By the time I realized that the little one was getting really beat up, he already didn't look so good, and I really wanted to get him into a recovery tank.
Ah, I probably would have too, then. Poor little guy.

 

[sylvius]

Thanks for everyone's advice. However, after a peaceful week, the remaining damsel started harassing my lemonpeel and perc (the little

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wouldn't let the others in his half of the tank even though he is about 1/5 their size and he took a little snip out of the lemonpeel's dorsal). In a bunch of other threads I saw people who wish they had gotten their damsels out of peaceful tanks when they could. Luckily mine liked to sleep in one of the ornaments and catching him was a matter of just putting a bag over the ornament this morning...easiest thing ever. I took him back to the LFS where hopefully he will have a nice life. Incidentally, my other little guy was fully recovered there...it just took a week of not being harassed
I guess from what I've read here it's very hit or miss as to how aggressive an individual may be...good to know.
Thanks

 

[debbie]

That is to bad, they are such colorful little guys. I have one, it has been in my tank since I started it 3 years go. Sometimes the coral beauty and maroon will give it a little chase but nothing serious and no torn fins.
I call this little guy my "blue tang" tank not big enough for the real thing this is the next closest to the color of one......

The meanest fish right now in my tank, Mrs. Bicolor blenny. What an absolute nasty fish.....
But if any of you have ever kept freshwater fish and compare saltwater fish to freshwater African Cichlids. I think the saltwater fish make the cichlids look like

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cats.
Deb....