kng Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 OK, no matter what your LFS tells you, do not get a damsel if you are planning on keeping corals. I had mine for almost 3 months and couldn't figure out why my yellow polps wouldn't open, and then eventually die. I also couldn't figure out why my button polyps wouldn't open all the way exposing their "tentacles'. But when I got the pulsing xenia and noticed it was trimmed back to the base with him munching on it, I reallized what the problem was. (Pretty quick huh?) So how did I get him out? Built a 2L fish trap with brine shrimp in it. Did he go in to get the shrimp and I pulled it out? NO...but after about a week of trying he was in front of the opening and I tapped on the glass and scarred him in. So he's been gone a week and everything is coming back great. I even got another yellow polyp frag. So please don't put a damsel in your tank for any reason...it will save you a lot of frustration...trust me. Link to comment
JJshiv Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 What type of damsel was it? I have had damsels and never had any problems at all. Maybe you just got some renegade damsel who wanted to go back to the ocean so he decided he would chew at your corals to #### you off. Link to comment
kng Posted July 2, 2003 Author Share Posted July 2, 2003 You could be right...I never even thought about that possibility:D I think he was a neon blue damsel.... Link to comment
cuteios Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 it's an electric blue damsel it can get nasty. not to mention pretty big for the damsels. Link to comment
Searlesy Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 I am usually more worried about the damsel bashing the other fish about. I have a large lemon Damsel in my large reef tank, and when I set up my small tank, a few of the inhabitants are getting moved to the new house, a few are getting given away, and a couple (including the damsel) are going to be left to take their chances with the radiata lionfish that is going in to the big tank. Link to comment
lizbeth Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Don't tell Newman...he will be heart broken. I've had him a year and he loves his reef tank. Link to comment
kng Posted July 2, 2003 Author Share Posted July 2, 2003 I forgot to mention the problem I had in my 2.5 with my blue fin damsel eating my clove polyps back to nothing. I know damsels have been known to "graze" for algae, maybe that's what they were doing. It seems everything that they've bothered has some kind of "tentacle" sticking out. (The clove polyps came back after I took him out.) Maybe I'm just unlucky, but that's 2 for 2 on the damsels for me. Here's an example blue fin... Link to comment
Jandree22 Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 when I added my clown to the tank with my yellow-tailed damsel, the damsel nipped at him every few minutes! I thought for sure I'd have to take one out, but I let it go just to make sure. Just like that, however, they made friends and left each other alone after about a week. They still get their disagreements every now and then, but they're pretty peaceful with each other now. I only have a 'shroom rock in my tank right now, but the damsel has yet to even adgnowledge it's there. We'll have to wait and see as I eventually add more corals: Link to comment
chufa Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 I have a similar problem with my yellow-tail damsel. It nips away at GSP and xenia. He does not actually eat it, he will spit the piece of polyp right out. The damsel does not touch more large tentacled corals like torch or frogspawn. I found that this destructive behavior is related to where the coral is placed. In some places it attracts his attention, and in others it does not. So I managed to keep my GSP and the damsel by moving the GSP to a different place. Xenia will get nipped in some locations only as well, and the damsel has propagated it. Usually, the locations that provoke the nipping behavior are those on top or near a cave or opening where the damsel hangs out. Link to comment
Jandree22 Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Originally posted by chufa Usually, the locations that provoke the nipping behavior are those on top or near a cave or opening where the damsel hangs out. defending his territory:rolleyes: Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.