55 Gallon Stocking?

[PRW1988]

Well, I've decided to get a bit away from the freshwater game and go back to playing for the salties XD, I've got my 55gallon all ready to go, cycled aswell as 2 fish in it currently.

A 2spot damsel and a smaller damsel that has a silvery body and a bit of blue on the head (not sure of the species- if anybody can guess from that description that'd be great if not I'll get a picture up later.)

I want a tank of mainly damsels, I was thinking an even 10-12, I also want to have some shrimp, snails and possibly a couple gobies.

Would this be pushing the bio-load??

 

[reefplayground]

nope, thats should be no problem as long as you have a decent protein skimmer and stay on top of your water changes.

 

[seffieuk]

Nope, it's not ok ---- you can't keep loads of different damsels in a tank without warfare starting - the stronger damsels will pick on the weakest and harass it to death, then they will pick on the next weakest and so on and so on!

10/12 damsels plus a couple of gobys, will be overstocked

Seffie x

 

[PRW1988]

I've taken into account the agression issues, however I have lots of caves set-up and from what I've read online damsels generally establish a pecking order if kept together or living within the same region.

 

[kj23502]

Yes they establish a pecking order and it can be bad enough to kill the bottom level fish. They move up the level until the dominant fish is left. Green chromis are definitely known for this.


Scroll down this page and there is a whole section for Damsels.

http/www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/FishInd2.htm

 

[PRW1988]

Already considered that. I have a few spare saltwater tanks set-up that are going to be for corals only. They're RO water and the weaker of the fish will have their own homes.

 

[seffieuk]

Already considered that. I have a few spare saltwater tanks set-up that are going to be for corals only. They're RO water and the weaker of the fish will have their own homes.

but there will always be a weaker fish until you end up with just a pair left and then if you are going to have different species you will not end up with a pair at all you got ten tanks to put them all in, phew

SEffie x



ps large tanks can sometimes successfully house more than one pair of damsels but imho, yours is not large enough

 

[kj23502]

They move up the level until the dominant fish is left.