Does anyone know me have a large shoal of damsels ?

shiftline · #1 01-09-2016, 02:14 AM

I'm curious if anyone has a large shoal of damsels? I know there are a few types who tend to be more peaceful and am curious what types you have had long term success with

Aquattro · #2 01-09-2016, 02:59 AM

I have 5 Talbot's in my tank, been happy together for about 8 months.

shiftline · #3 01-09-2016, 03:40 AM

Thanks aquattro. What size is your tank?

Aquattro · #4 01-09-2016, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiftline

Thanks aquattro. What size is your tank?

About 100g. I would have got double that many if I knew they'd get along. But don't want to risk adding more now.

shiftline · #5 01-09-2016, 04:02 AM

Did you add them first or last? (Or some where in the middle).

I'm thinking of trying 5-7 azure or Neon Damselfish (Pomacentrus alleni) as I have read they are two of the more peaceful out of the damsels

Fin2you · #6 01-09-2016, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiftline

Did you add them first or last? (Or some where in the middle).

I'm thinking of trying 5-7 azure or Neon Damselfish (Pomacentrus alleni) as I have read they are two of the more peaceful out of the damsels

As with any fish sometimes you luck out & other times it doesn't work out the way intended. I was at a LFS earlier this week & saw 2 tanks of Azure's 1 they whole group was chasing each other & mean buggers. in tank 2 there were 3, 1 so timid it hid under a rock, the 2nd bolted & hid the min I walked up to the tank & the 3rd came to the front of the tank & darted around.

Danmcauley · #7 01-09-2016, 04:28 AM

5 allens in a 6 foot tank. Everyone gets along, been 10 months now, but they don't shoal as I would have hoped. Peaceful, minor chasing, but awesome color and they stay pretty small.

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #8 01-09-2016, 05:05 AM

In the wild, they shoal to confuse predators. In a reef tank, they will usually become territorial and bicker with one another rather than shoal since they have little to fear, so it becomes survival of the fittest, rather than a more communal "strength in numbers" and "confuse the predator" shoaling behaviour.

albert_dao · #9 01-09-2016, 05:24 AM

I had like 30 Dascyllus reticulatus in a 230 for nearly a year before a velvet infection wiped them all out :_(

You really have to house them with big, intimidating fish to keep them in line, otherwise breeding pairs bully the others until you're left with two animals.

target · #10 01-09-2016, 06:40 AM

I've got a azure damsel in my sump you can have. He and a lemon damsel are responsible for wiping out every other fish in my tank. Maybe a group will be better.