why do damsels (a type of fish) are always mean?

Question

I have about three damsels and my parents always say that if we want new fish we have to get rid of them but they're my favorite fishies in the tank and their always picking on the new fish we put in the tank. what should I do?

Answer 1

Damsels are known for being aggressive, but that doesn't mean you can't keep other fish with them.

For example, I've found that clownfish (which are also in the damsel family) don't put up with a damsel's agression for long. Clowns might swim goofy, but they aren't pushovers. My yellow tang was never bothered by my damsels when I put him in.

But my favorite example is my six line wrasse. Not a very big fish, but I put him in my 75 gallon tank and the 2 yellow tailed blue damsels and one blue damsel immediately started chasing him. Within a week, the wrasse had turned the tables on them, and before the end of the second week, the wrasse had organized the tank to the point that he began herding the damsels into their own section of their tank, and wouldn't let them out too far. I never saw him attack the damsels, but they didn't ever mess with him again. I loved that fish!

Answer 2

There really isn't anything you an do about their behavior. There's only so much space, food, and mates for them on coral reefs (contrary to popular belief, really nice reefs that you in photos are much less common than plain sand bottom, and it's the reef areas where the fish live). If they want to survive, they have to be able to compete with the other fish of their own species for these, as well as any other species that uses the same resources. So any fish that's related to, or resembles a fish you already have is going to be picked on, since your fish now have "their" territories. I've had customers where I work tell me about damselfish they used to cycle their tank kill lionfish and eels they added later. So, I'm afraid your parents are right on this on - the only way you'll be able to get new fish is to exchange the damsels for something else.

If you like how the damsels look, try getting a group of green reef chromis - even though they're damsels, they are the only peaceful, schooling member of the group. Some clownfish are okay with other tankmates, except for when they lay their eggs - then they get 3/4 of the tank, the other fish get what's left.

(NOTE: for freshwater fish, you can sometimes rearrange the rocks and decorations to mess up territorial boundaries, but this doesn't work well for saltwater fish.)

Answer 3

Damsel fish are not mean,they are territorial,if they are harming new fish it's because the tank isn't large enough to provide the territory needed by each fish.

Answer 4

try switching the damsels into a smaller tank with no fish in it

and she is my mother
and plus the tank is 75 gallons if you're wondering