Need help with Damsel and False Percula Clown

[Jasno999]

Need help with Damsel and False Percula Clown

I have a 10 gallon nano tank. Levels are all good. Long story short I had a 4 strip damsel for years and he decided to jump out of the tank about 2 months ago.

I went to the store and purchased a yellow tale damsel (he is blue wit ha yellow tale). He has been doing great but I decided I wanted to add one more fish to add some color and movement. I really like clownfish and always wanted one so I did some research and narrowed down my selection to either a Ocellaris Clownfish or a Misbar Ocellaris Clownfish . I went to the local PetCo and saw they had a Ocellaris Clownfish so I decided to get him.

Took him home put him in the tank and the damsel is being super agressive. Funny thing is the damsel is about 3/4" and the clown is probably double that size at 1.5". The damsel just constantly swims over to the clown and puts his back to him then he raises his dorsal fins and angles his head down and tail up. Seems like pretty obvious behavior to me.

He is not biting the clown but the clown is now staying torwards the back of the tank and swiming near the sand behind my rocks. It is like he is hiding. He comes out every now and then to swim around but I think he is scared. He did not eat yesterday but today he finally ate some brine shrimp. I hope he will eat some flake soon.

Do you guys have any suggestions on what I can do. I like both fish but the clown is definitly a nicer fish, a more expensive fish and a fish I want to keep and have happy. At the same time it is not like I don't dare about the damsel. I just thought after doing my research that the yellow tale was one of the most friendly and least agressive dasels - that is why I got him. And now it seems not to be the case.

Looking for ideas on what I can do to make the situation better.

Thanks

[dendro982]

Had similar situation (4 striped damsel and percula clown), asked for help and was advised to separate them and never try to put two damsel fishes in the same tank, unless they are a couple.
Had to remove damsel from 20g long tank to another tank, and now don't know what to do with it: nobody wants damsel even for free, even with a couple of coral frags as a bonus.
Sorry for being bad news bearer.

[Ninong]

You may have a hard time getting a damsel fish to accept another fish in a little 10-gal tank. They're mean enough in larger tanks much less 10-gal nano tanks.

[Jasno999]

Oh well. I will see what happens. The clow is becoming more asertive. I don't have antoher tank and the wtore will probably not buy the damsel back fro me.

[Seige]

Oh well. I will see what happens. The clow is becoming more asertive. I don't have antoher tank and the wtore will probably not buy the damsel back fro me.

They might not buy it but you might be able to get store credit.

[cdearing]

I have a 29G and only have 3 fish so I don't know if this will help but will share my experience anyway. I started out with a yellowtail damsel. I then added my clown. The damsel picked on the clown incessantly, not harming but chasing and making his territory known and making me mad. I finally got my third fish, a pygmy angel. The pygmy has put the damsel in it's place. The pygmy angel is now the dominant fish, does not care at all about the clown, doesn't really pick on the damsel but keeps the damsel on it's toes (or fins) so that it doesn't have the interest in bugging the clown. To me, it seems like a perfect triangle in my tank with everyone in their place and the clown is happy to have it's own space again without being chased and harrassed.
Good luck!
Cyn

[Ninong]

Damselfish are just plain mean by nature but they will be especially hostile to clownfish in a small tank because they are closely related. They're both members of the Family Pomacentridae and the damselfish is defending its territory against the 'trespassing' clownfish.

[kronos5]

I think the yellow tail Damsel needs to be thrown into the toilet. I hate damsels, with the exception of percs, they are all buttheads.

[sirhcnes]

lol this forum cracks me up because i have a 15g tank with a couple green chromirs, a yellow tang, a false percula clown fish, and last but not least my most favorite of all the yellow-tailed damsel. in my aquarium things seem backwords, my percula chases my damsel. sorry for all your damsel problems...maybe you should just consider a damsel with a more sceniale behavior. that always works getting them is the hard part.

[Parrothead]

You crack me up, you fail to state what order the fish where introduced into the tank, you give zero details on your tank, but you are more than happy to jump on a thread that is over a year old and offer your two cents, need change for that.

[Steve McKay]

sirhcnes,does your Yellow Tang have a sore nose?

[Parrothead]

sirhcnes,does your Yellow Tang have a sore nose?

Good point Steve, I totally forgot we were talking about a severly overstocked 15 gallon monster aquarium, The reason everything gets along in this tank is nobody can move