kevin203ct

I have recently set up my first marine aquarium. It is going quite
well so far, (save a slight red slime problem i am trying to control).
I have put just one fish so far, a small yellowtail damsel. I would
like this to become a reef tank, and i did use the damsel knowing it
was very hardy and would assist in cycling the tank. I have been told
by the local fish store they can be quite agressive despite their
smallish size. What are your experiences and opinions about their
compatability in a reef tank and with other fish, and have you found
them not to be suited to this? Also, have you found any difficulties
in maintaining them with invertibrates, especially small hermit crabs
and cleaner shrimp?

Thanks for your input.

kevin

microbot

I have two Damsels in my 4 foot Aquarium, I am not sure of their names but
the shop owner said one was Black Back and the other Two Pac.
One is BRIGHT Iridescent blue along the top half and from halfway down it is
bright orange, the other has a yellow forehead and a diagonal black stripe
from the lower lip to his upper tail and white from the black stripe down.
Both fish leave each other alone and dont attack each other or any of the
other fish I have in my tank.
Every now and then they will stand their grounds but they dont go around
chasing each other or any other fish.
But with age this may change from what I have heard.
And also it really just depends on the fish themselves as to how aggressive
they may be...

Cheers
Microbot

larryt

Other fish are just as hardy for cycling so do not thinking you can only use
damsels. Of all the damsels, this is the 2nd least aggressive of all (a
blue\green chromis is the least). The best way to sum it is what someone
once told me "they don't call them blue devils for nothing".

I have had yellow tails be very peaceful, and the last one I had was
extremely aggressive. Like all fish, they have a personality too and
unfortunately it takes about 2-3 days in your tank before they show it.

You may want to consider a royal gramma or fox face to cycle with. They are
high color, won't be a problem with a reef, and you won't have to destroy
the tank trying to get the damsel out in a month

HTH
LT

capfusion

Please do not suggest on using any fish to cycle tank.
I understand people use damsel for cycling tank from the past. I am not sure
how that get stuck but not to add another group of fish into this cycling
thing. Maybe the price that attribute to this role.

CapFusion,...

larryt

If you know better than everyone else, then why not offer a suggestion for
Kevin?

How did you start your tank?
Have you ever added a fish to a tank? Because if you did, the tank did a
mini-cycle due to the increased ammonia introduced by the fish...or did you
prevent this from happening somehow?

scott bennett

I had 2 black and white stripe damsels (I believe 3 stripe) as my first
fish, put in AFTER my tank cycled. They turned out to be terrors,
although they behaved when I was in the room. Seriously, if I just
peeked around the corner, or sat in the dark to watch them in dim light,
I'd see them chasing someone, but if I walked in, they'd just go swim
around their rocks. I suspect they contributed to the deaths of at least
3 other fish (a gramma and 2 clowns). Finally, when I was down to just
them and a firefish, and I started to notice the firefish's tail getting
ragged, I pegged them... Had to tear apart my rock work to catch them,
but I gave them back to the LFS, and the firefish quickly healed. They
didn't bother the inverts at all.

I've never understood when I've seen these comments about using fish for
cycling, and have read several places not to do this. If you have live
rock, it cycles by itself. Or do people have a different definition of
cycling?

Good luck!

capfusion

This is off-topic according to this OP thread.
This thread regarding about Damsel experience or opinion and not about
cycling. There for I express my opinion regarding damsel with cycling and
also experience.

If you insist on cycling [off-topic], then continue below.

[snip]


[/snip]
OK....
Kevin, what do you have in your tank so far? Give detail. If detail have
given, then I may have not seen your thread. Please state again. This depend
on what you have and where you where you want to with your tank in
question.

Do you have LR / LS / PS / sand [type?] /fish already in the tank? What the
water paremeter? What goal of your tank to be? Like plannning on only fish?
Or just trying out first and see the outcome and maybe [depending on experience] reef. [snip]


[/snip]
Start with DSB / LR / LS / PS / RODI [from friend] [I did not have RODI at time] [snip]

[/snip]
Yes, I put fish to my tank. If no fish, what the point having a fish tank
[reef].
Yes, mini cycle will occur when you feed your fish / fish waste / uneaten
food.
My pollution control tools and crews - DSB / PS / LR / LS / algae [few] /
snail / shrimp / tang / clown / sump / refugium.

Mini-cycle will occur when you put anything to your tank. That also
including putting in your hand. It just depend on much you [knowing or not]
put in your tank. The more you introduce the bigger the cycle or wait time
for the extra nutrient get consume.


CapFusion,...

marc levenson

Larry, it has been mentioned many times before here and elsewhere that a person
can start a tank's cycle with a piece of shrimp from the deli. Toss it in and
let it rot. That's it.

Or add ammonia to the tank. (That is one method I've never tried.)

Capfusion and others including myself encourage people not to use fish in their
tank. It is like asking a person to go into a room full of smokers and ask that
person to filter the air with their lungs!.

Marc

--
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microbot

Thought I would also add that the Damsels I have do not bother my Banded
Coral Shrimp either...

Cheers
Microbot

ricseyler

Yep! :-)

--
Ric Seyler