1 week and still happy

[snailrider]

I think the only way you will be able to have anything else in that tank, especially a clownfish, is if you get rid of that velvet damsel. He will get big and mean very fast and terrorize everything in the tank. I even added mine last to the tank and the damsel still was mean to the other fish. In a 30 gallon, the damsel is going to outgrow really soon and he'll probably beat up the blue damsel too.

Well I heard that the velvet damsel will loose the nice accent stripes as it matures. That is what I love about that fish. She (Grettle, maybe a she) has been picking on things already, especially the feather dusters.

The yellow tail damsel (Hansel) is the most awesome blue, I really want to keep that one. Then maybe some other bright colored fish, maybe a blenny.
Who knows, I am not adding more critters for awhile, but maybe some more macro algea or rock.

 

[jayghmi]

I replaced my yellow tail damsel with a royal gramma - not the expensive and a beautiful fish that will get along with others. If you do decide to replace your damsel, I would do it before you add more rock. They are crazy fast and hard to catch. Jay

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=53

 

[snailrider]

I think I have a way to catch them. I have no problem letting them get hungry, then would settle the net into position and wait, then call em for dinner, evil, but probably would work.


But they are really fast. I doubt I could chase one down with the net. But as long as they don't do too much damage I'm ok with them.

What about a flame hawkfish? Striped fang blenny? What good are the lawnmower blennies?

 

[Lorna]

flame hawkfish tend to decimate any inverts but are otherwise a good choice.....the fang blenny should be avoided as it can terrorize and feed on your other fish. There is a reason that they have fangs......to strip scales off other slower fish. Not a nice fish to have. The damsels need to be removed, good luck catching them. Unless that is all you want to have in your tank. Lawnmower blenny is a great little fish with lots of personality that is an obligate herbivore and needs to eat algae....so if you don't have a lot of algae then don't get one.....as it could starve. Damsels are just bad news all around......sorry. good luck catching them.....

Oh and as to your theory of smaller get picked on......sorry not true. The meanest fish in my tank is my 6line wrasse.....it will chase down anything.....and can't abide any new additions.....at least not without me changing rock around and upsetting everyone else.

 

[snailrider]

Well I can't have any decimating going on, especially with my snails. (soon a large collection)

The lawnmower blenny, I have culpura macro and spegetti algea. The culpura grows fast so that would be fine, or are we talking smaller algae?

Growing algae doesn't seem to be much of a problem, that and the aitapia.

As far as your wrasse goes, have the new additions been bigger or smaller?

I was baby sitting some golden labs. The neighbor brought over their chiuwawa puppy, it was hilarious. Those big dogs went dizzy trying to catch or keep up with that little thing. Then they pooped out and the little rat dog started to pester them.

Again just a hunch, but maybe if the established bully isn't threatened, or can't catch the newcomer, they will be alright. After awhile I may try, but who knows.

 

[Grins]

I think your hunch is way off Snail. Sorry, too many have experienced just the opposite.

 

[snailrider]

Well sounds like a bad idea, and if I were to try something like that, I guess I would need to be prepared to rescue or relocate quickly. So, before then, I shall be working on getting a QT or Refugium or both going.

 

[snailrider]

Everybodies still happy. Awhile back, Grettal was picking on my baby snails so I thought I should relocate her. Moved her to the QT and Hansel (yellow tail damsel) seemed to not eat, and stayed hidden.

I couldn't take it so I put the Velvet Damsel (Grettal) back in the main tank. They are happy again and eating and playing.

Since I have added more live rock and some snails and an urchin and coral. Stupid urchin has been grazing my limited coraline algae so I had to go out and buy him some fresh coraline to keep him happy. Guess I have to get some good lighting now.

Not alot to look at yet, once the rock settles in, I am going to arrange things differently.

This is how it looks today

 

[daayda3]

cool

 

[Grins]

lol, the urchin isn't stupid it knows what it is to eat. But yeah as much as I love them their diet and propensity to go over corals has me avoiding them.