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Should i get the damsel?


JDSquared

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I've been really hesitant about what fish to put in my tank. Partly because the local selection isn't great for smaller tanks. But I'm ready to get more movement in the tank.

 

Its a 29 gallon 30x12x18. Currently stocked with a fire shrimp a few snails. And a couple of coral.

I am definitely getting a banggai cardinal.  Its the one I keep wanting and my son picked out the same fish when he was looking.

The store Also has a light green chromis that was very pretty and I think yesterday I decided to pick him up as well.

There's also a yellow tail damsel there that would add some color and activity.

Didn't find a lot on this forum about damsels and the guide's say to be careful but that might not mean no. 

I wouldn't mind getting a royal gramma either but I never see one locally. 

I'm thinking those four fish plus the shrimp are too much for my tank. If the damsel is okay with the chromis I might get those 3. If not then I might skip it and ask about finding the gramma.

 

*I am waiting a week on the damsel too.  Plan on picking up the cardinalfish tomorrow and likely the chromis and let them establish in the tank first.

 

Thoughts?

Edited by JDSquared
Autocorrect really wants me to get a chromed not chromis
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The Damsel may or may not work out. Most of them are mean little guys.

Maybe get something that occupies the lowest portion of the tank instead of the Damsel? Like a Pistol Shrimp and Goby? i.e. randall shrimp and yasha goby.

 

Blennies are neat as well and aren't too aggressive.

 

Perhaps do the fish shopping online so you can get more selection?

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6 hours ago, Nart said:

The Damsel may or may not work out. Most of them are mean little guys.

Maybe get something that occupies the lowest portion of the tank instead of the Damsel? Like a Pistol Shrimp and Goby? i.e. randall shrimp and yasha goby.

 

Blennies are neat as well and aren't too aggressive.

 

Perhaps do the fish shopping online so you can get more selection?

Paying that cost for shipping an 8 dollar fish plus needing to be home for delivery and maybe getting a hurt or sick or discolored fish without seeing it first make a me not want to shop online.

 

My LFS got a royal gramma in today. Plus a few different gobys. I got my cardinal I've been watching for 2 weeks and the gramma. Who went straight into hiding. Ive got room for one more but probably talked myself out of the damsel.

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I would go with the gramma, much nicer color and less PITA IMHO. A small angelfish would do well in a 29 also... centropyge family.

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3 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I wouldn't do a damsel. They can be very aggressive and a royal pain to get out of the tank. 

 

 

Lol nobody here likes the damsels. I figured if I had to ask the answer should be no anyway. So I'm not getting the damsel.

33 minutes ago, jambon said:

I would go with the gramma, much nicer color and less PITA IMHO. A small angelfish would do well in a 29 also... centropyge family.

I got the gramma. She's hiding though even though there's lots of room.

 

Every Angel I tried to look up says 70 gallons. So I will look up your suggestion. I love the angels.

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SelectedByNature
2 minutes ago, JDSquared said:

Lol nobody here likes the damsels. I figured if I had to ask the answer should be no anyway. So I'm not getting the damsel.

I got the gramma. She's hiding though even though there's lots of room.

 

Every Angel I tried to look up says 70 gallons. So I will look up your suggestion. I love the angels.

I thought Angels weren't really reef safe?

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Nixperience

Royal gramma is nice for going in the rock work and coming out from time to time. The cardinal will hover around the tank. Chromis will swim back and forth or a clown will find an area and stay in that area mostly. A blennie or a gobie will scuttle about the sand and rocks. 

I think angels need a good algae source to nip at or be fed often in order to avoid bad behaviors. I have a coral beauty that's been behaving so far, but I have a  lot of macro algae growing and feed a lot. 

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SelectedByNature
2 minutes ago, Nixperience said:

Royal gramma is nice for going in the rock work and coming out from time to time. The cardinal will hover around the tank. Chromis will swim back and forth or a clown will find an area and stay in that area mostly. A blennie or a gobie will scuttle about the sand and rocks. 

Haha very concise. Tell us about Firefish next!

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Nixperience
Just now, SelectedByNature said:

Haha very concise. Tell us about Firefish next!

Lol. I have no experience with firefish because they are big jumpers and I like to keep an open top. I have a starry Blenny and he's really cool. Perches a lot and stares at you. Not the most beautiful fish, but makes up for it with personality and interesting behavior. 

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SelectedByNature
7 minutes ago, Nixperience said:

Lol. I have no experience with firefish because they are big jumpers and I like to keep an open top. I have a starry Blenny and he's really cool. Perches a lot and stares at you. Not the most beautiful fish, but makes up for it with personality and interesting behavior. 

Oh nice well I'm the weirdo that likes my AIO with the hood on, I guess I can get a Firefish than! Starry Blenny description is what my YWG does. Love him.

 

On topic though most people put a lot of emphasis on the particular fish they choose. Maybe figure out what you really want and have the LFS order it?

 

Also you seem to be avoiding Clowns, why? They're a crowd-pleaser!

 

Careful adding a lot at once as well so your bacteria can keep up.

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1 hour ago, Nixperience said:

 

I think angels need a good algae source to nip at or be fed often in order to avoid bad behaviors. I have a coral beauty that's been behaving so far, but I have a  lot of macro algae growing and feed a lot. 

Macros are next on my list. I'm kind of waiting on a certain board member here to offer some up for sale again.

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1 hour ago, SelectedByNature said:

 

 

On topic though most people put a lot of emphasis on the particular fish they choose. Maybe figure out what you really want and have the LFS order it?

 

Also you seem to be avoiding Clowns, why? They're a crowd-pleaser!

If I got clowns I would have to name them all Albert Brooks. And thats not right.

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All fish can jump. Blennies do it, gobies  do it, my clowns breaks surface to attack my hand. My goby jumped overnight and I have a mesh lid but it made it through a tiny opening  where my filter is.

 

Firefish- nice fish, swim around, go in between rocks. The purple  firefish is less jumpy/skittish then the red one.

My red one in my old tank jumped 4 times - last time was the time time.

 

My purple one never jumped.

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We'll I'm sad to report the royal gramma didn't make it overnight. I'm pretty sure I didn't make any mistakes. Will post more and list the parameters in my aqua journal on a lunch break later.

 

The store tested my water for nitrates and ph. They matched my results. Ammonia went up a tiny bit from zero. I figure thats from the dead fish. The cardinal was active yesterday. He ate. Was out this morning until I found the gramma and stirred the sand And did a water change. Now he's hiding in a cave with the fire shrimp.

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5 hours ago, Nixperience said:

Oh no! They're usually pretty hardy. I wonder how it died. 

That's one of the guys to the store said too. I don't know. Benji the Banggaii is doing well. I temp acclimated both of them. The grams went straight to the underside of a rock and stayed there. I got go e from work about 1am and couldn't find him. Found him this morning past on. Its too bad.

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Sorry to hear about the gramma... you have to realize they were likely collected of the reef unless captive bred. Then passed from tank to tank till they got to you. That is a problem in this hobby and all we can do is try to lessen the stress. I'm a sucker for purchasing fish just arrived into the LFS and have about 70% success rate. If it's possible let the LFS take the risk and buy there stock that's been around for a few weeks. 

   As far as angels go, I would put one into a 29. The Cherubfish is about an inch long and quite hardy. I think the trick is lots of rock work for them to explore and hide in.

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Sorry to hear about your gramma, mine passed away recently too. My George had so much personality once he became comfortable and ate NLS like a champ. I wouldn't call them peaceful though, more semi-aggressive in my opinion.

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My yellowtail was my first fish. When the time came to put a clown, he became super aggresive. Long story short, he got evicted, took him to my LFS and got a dollar credit in return.

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GregEmmitte

Damsels suck. Unless you successfully try the cichlid method. Get a few juvenile damsels at once and add them all at once.

 

if you want something similar try their cousins the chromis.

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