60 gal damsel only tank?

[fish are friends!!]

hey guys....i was think of my stocking list for my future 60 gal. and thot maybe a damsel only tank....will this work?
i though:
2 three stripe damsels
2 ocellaris clowns
3 green-blue chromis
1 domino damsel
1 bluefin damsel

is that ok or will it break out into a giant fight over territory?

[leebca]

As far as biological load goes, that grouping of fish will fit well in a 60 gallon aquarium. However, they are Damselfishes and most won't get along well with others. These fishes are not so much into staking out a territory as they are just plain hard to get along with. If the two Anemonefishes are to be a mated pair, they will stake out a territory and try to drive off the other Damsel from their 'nest.' You can expect to see a lot of 'interaction' as they 'argue' and 'fight.'

[fish are friends!!]

ok....i think i remember hearing if it was a group of the same species in the tank they would make a pecking order and might not fight....is that true?
cuz this happen to me with freshwater fish....they were supposed to make a pecking order but in stead killed each other (tiger barbs)

[leebca]

In the case of Damselfishes, what you have been told is sometimes right. For the most part, a group of the same species of some of the Damsels will establish a pecking order. However, they can be very hard on one another -- to the point of killing the lowest ones in that order. Of the list you have, the Chromis are generally the type that will school together with a better survival rate, but even they sometimes end up with bad consequences.

However, in addition to what you've been told, the Damsels of different species will also sometimes try to establish a pecking order (between different species) and resort to fighting until the lower ones die off. It depends on how 'strong' the weakest one is and how 'strong' the strongest one is. You understand what I mean? The greater the separation of the dominant one from the most subordinate will often result in the death of the subordinate. In this case, it has more to do with fighting over the resources, which include food, space, nesting space, etc.

All the above behaviors are not that much emphasized in the wild. I mean, when these fishes are brought into captivity and must live in a space of limitations, these behaviors seem to come out in full force.

You could instead keep the Anemonefishes on your list and just add 7 or more of the Chromis. Skip the other Damsels and choose another fish or two (non-Damsels).

[fish are friends!!]

Yeah i get wat ur saying, thanks!