What other fish are compatible with a yellow tail damsel?

[Miss Reef Tank]

Hello,

My tank has been running now for almost 6 months, I will like to start adding a few more fish. I currently have 1 yellow-tailed damsel and a coral banded shrimp in a 60 litre tank. (15 gal)

What type of fish can live with my yellow-tail damsel?

He has been in the tank since day one, so I am rather attached to him. I tried clowns with no success, a few months ago; I feel my tank has matured a lot since then. But would like to avoid percula clownfish this time.

While I had the clowns the damsel would charge at them, he did the same with my coral banded shrimp, but has since learned to get along; I feel he may be more willing to share his tank now he lives with a critter with nippers!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, so I may do some more research into the species, before purchase.

PS. I have attached a photo of my tank, to show the size of the damsel.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Unfortunately your little damsel will bully anything you try to introduce into the tank. They are notoriously aggresive and territorial. Seeing as how he has claimed the tank as his own, any other free swimming fish will be a target of his aggression. My suugestion would be to try a goby. Maybe one of the smaller species like a red stripe goby, or even a yellow watchman.

You can try rearranging the rockwork when you introduce the new fish. It's supposedly very effective for confusing the aggresive species of fish.

 

[incysor]

You might try a dottyback. They're also agressive, and it should be able to hold it's own against the damsel. FWIW, dottybacks, and damsels are across the board some of the most agressive reef-safe fish out there.

You might have better luck if you can capture the damsel, keep it out for a couple hours, rearrange the rockwork a bit and then reintroduce it after the other fish has been in put in the tank. It sometimes can help to 'reset' the territories.

B

 

[dragon79]

yeah that sounds like it should do it, because I tried re-arranging rockwork in my girlfriend 12 gallon cube and it worked. I had a territorial bi-color blenny that was doing some damage but when I moved some major things around, he ended up finding a whole different area and gets along famously with everything now.

 

[mikeguerrero]

I would introduce a dottyback that is slightly larger than the damsel, it will turn the tables on him.

Also I remember and I kid you not, my coral beauty would break up fights when they started in my reef.

He would see my yellow tale damsel fighting with my dottyback and race over and get in the center and spread his body.

Always liked to be in the middle of everything that happened in the tank.

Then recently, I had about 3 fish in my 12 gallon cube and they started fighting, I went over to my LFS and purchased a pygmy angel, brought him home, and sure enough she started breaking up the fights.

Only problem is that the yellow gumdrop came with ich and wiped out all my fish.

I was really sad

Mike

 

[Iceburg98]

I've also heard that turning off the light, rearranging the rock, then adding the new fish will help. It will confuse the damsel, making it think it's in a new place, and since the other fish will already be there when the lights come back on, they will just re-stake their territories based on where the other fish stakes his.

 

[mihkaail]

Hi there,

I think a bicolour blenny would be okay with him. he'd spend most of the time on rockwork and wouldnt be competing with the same territory. Even if they do bicker, a good sized bicolour would be up for it; they are pretty spunky after all.

Btw, Miss Reef Tank, what LPS coral is that you have in the top, slightly left of centre of the tank? i have something similar.

Hope this helps.

 

[djconn]

I was actually wondering what that was as well...