Domino Damsel Has Pushed It To Far

[weathermen]

I have a problem with my Domino Damsel fish! only one the other seems ok

Original tank stock as follows
1 Yellow Tang
1 Cardinal
1 Dotty Back
1 Green Chromis
1 Regal Tang
2 Nemo Clowns

I then Purchased two juvenile Domino Damsels, (no problem with integrating) three weeks later I bought a Regal Tang! Yellow tang was a little bit territorial but after a few hours both were swimming happily ! 3 month’s later my wife buys me a “Powder Blue Tang“ because I keep going on about how nice they are! So I acclimatise and then release Powder blue into tank, Yellow and Regal are fine! Domino goes crazy! I’m sure he croaks?? The large one of the two just kept barging the Power and fin nip! This went on for a while until it hid among the rock, everything calms down then he kicks off again hunting it out, then he gets board,
Got up in the morning “no sign of Powder blue” I move most of the rock and check everywhere, “NOTHING” then later that day my green carpet has the biggest regurgitate and what comes out is what’s left of my powder blue , I was so upset! So what do I do now with the Damsel, do I split them up and re home both or just re home the aggressor?

cheers Nick.

 

[littleme1969]

Dominos are known for being supper agressive. The bigger they get the worse they get I would say if you just removed one then the other would just move up the ladder at some point and take his place. May take a while but the bigger it gets the more confident it will get. I would get rid of the pair and avoid damsels altogether with the exception of the tolbats damsel which is very placid, as all damsels given enough time will become a bit of a terror in varying degress
Sorry about the loss of the fish

 

[weathermen]

Hi Littleme,

thanks for that! I ahve tried to get them out after the event, just too much rock in the way! I think a new landscape is in order, remove all rock catch the blighters and re-landscape the tank! I was sold as semi aggresive! Oh POO! at least if they do go I can get the power blue which I want!

Two Domino's FREE require a new home coming real soon!

 

[SkiFletch]

Sorry to hear about your experience weatherman, but that's the exact reason I never reccomend those dirty little buggers

 

[Sea Turtle]

Sorry to hear about the loss. What a way to go. I agree those fish are nasty.

Would love to see some pics of that green carpet.

 

[rednwhite barmy]

aye sorry to hear aboot ya loss, i had 2 doms in my early days ov marine, i got them coz they were small, cheap and canny cute but i'd may have well put the devil and his spawn in my tank, they hassled everything!! even tangs 3 times there size. one is always bigger than the other and the older they get they change from jet black to a dark slate grey, i took mine back to the shop for nothing!! i would plead with every1 stay away from this fish!!

 

[weathermen]

Thanks for your comments,

Looks like I have the task of removing rock and getting them out, I guess we all gotta learn the hard way! shame I can't turn them into Sushi! "only Joking"

Not looking forward to that!

Cheers guys & girls !

 

[littleme1969]

Good luck with the strip down And trying to catch them too...LOL I just had to do one in my 100g with 90kg of rock in it Took me all afternoon but the new scape looks much better Oh the joys of Tangs and white Spot!

 

[jeasko]

Have to say my humbug damsels are fine they have the occasional chase each other round the tank (have 3 of them) but they leave everythin well alone, think I even once saw my female perc clown go for the damsel which made me smile (go girl! ).

However I do except that they are not domino's but my understanding is they are closely related so would expect them to behave very similar, but had them best part of a year now without trouble although I think my anthias would kick the damselss a$$ if they tried anything (funny how you know the character of your fish!)

 

[jacden]

Thanks for your comments,

Looks like I have the task of removing rock and getting them out, I guess we all gotta learn the hard way! shame I can't turn them into Sushi! "only Joking"

Not looking forward to that!

Cheers guys & girls !

I had the same problem with a damsel, he actually killed the other damsel, had them from same tank same time they were fine at first !!! I caught the culprit using a trap-eze . Baited the trap, he was caught within an hour. no moving any rock. Worked a treat! Good luck

Jackie

 

[weathermen]

I'll give that trap eeze a look into,

also to those who have had Damsels, have you ever noticed the colour change thing they do! they go from jet black to a pale grey! I guess this is some sort mating thing going on,
very pretty to watch for such an agressive fishy!

 

[littleme1969]

The colour change is pretty common across the board with most fish. But I did notice it with my yellow tail. That would go from bright vivid blue to almost black at times. Its more likely due to stress and water condtions.
But no doubt they may use it to display.