Domino Damsel -- Questions about compatability and behaviors

[moonkitten]

Ok, I cycled my tank with live rock and got a damsel because they said she was hardy, but there was a good chance she would be aggressive to any other fish I bought. I adored it because it's polkadotted, and because I wanted to see if she could live in my tank.. month has went by and she has done fine.

Today I bought 2 peppermint shrimp at the pet store and I added them in. I was worried about 'Polkadot' because she was very jumpy and nervous acting. She would go close to these shrimp and their feelers seemed to suck her closer into the live rock. Now she keeps sticking her backend into any crevices in the live rock and trys with all her might to fit inside, and then she leaves. One of the crevices she is backing into (she isn't charging in in, she's slowly backing into it) contains the shrimp because he seems to enjoy the hiding spot. He seems to touch her with his feeler things and then she leaves and does it to other crevices. She's never done this before so I was worried that the shrimp was stinging her, but I don't think they sting and she keeps doing it.

The other shrimp is in the top corner of the tank cleaning the glass, he is in plain day and she hasn't attempted to bother him at all, she hasn't charged at the other one head first either.. it's always butt first. Is she ok with having other animals?

I want to add clowns into my tank and possibly 2 other types of fish and then some corals. I really adore her but she is acting weird. With my magnetic cleaner she even started putting her back fin on it as I moved it. Is she trying to hurt things this way or what? Will she be cruel to my clowns? Help, I'm new :)

[reefcrazy20]

few questions?

1. how big is your tank?
2. how much live rock is in the tank?
3. tank specs (ammonia nitrite/nitrate ph DKH salinity and calcium)
4. what lighting do you have?



well you might have a fight with the clown and damsel....but i've had domino damsels and clowns and all was fine. just make sure you add the fish slowly so you don't have an ammonia spike. and the pep. shrimp aren't doing any harm to your domino damsel.

[moonkitten]

My tank is 50 gallons and I have 3 live rocks in it.. 1 is small, 1 is a stick shaped rock about a foot long, and the big one is a branched out rock that has man holes and hiding places. I plan to get 2 more of the branchy rock and then I'll be done.

My lighting.. I'm new and I have no idea about lighting. 1 is a blue light and one is a normal light it seems. 2 long bulbs are in the top and they came with this tank.. it was my boyfriend's uncles saltwater and I know he housed reefs in it.

I want to add 2 small clown fish next, I'm not even sure about the other fish, but I'm worried my domino will fight with them or hurt them.

I also was interested in getting frogspawn next because it's pretty and I heard some clown fish like it. I saw that dominos were reef safe and clowns are also.. and my shrimp. I guess I'm just really worried about the compatability. I really want clowns, and I really adore my damsel >_<

I just added my shrimp so I haven't tested the water after that, but before I added them it was just as the forms said it should be. I tested PH, nitrite, and amonia.

[reefcrazy20]

i have one 55 gal tank and have about 70lbs of live rock....you should have close to that amount of live rock in there. i don't think your clown will bond with the hammer it's a 50/50 chance that they bond with anything. do you have powerheads in this tank....lost of movement for the corals (some corals don't like alot of water movement so you'll have to place them accordingly) so long as you don't get any light demanding corals you should be all right like SPS corals stay away from them cause they need MH for lighting. does your boyfriend's uncle know what lighting it is?

you shouldn't have any problems with your domino and clown fish. i would probably add liquid calcium, iodine and strontium and molybdenum to the tank. you can get these at your LFS. calcium should be around 400-450 ppm. your LFS can test this or you can get test kits and test this yourself. good luck with your tank we are all here to help.

[moonkitten]

Yes I have a water flow.. it's heavy on one side, and light on the other.

Why should I add these things and when? I know it's advice you are giving me, but I must always ask questions because as I am new, I like to learn and know why I am doing things.

Thanks a lot

[reefcrazy20]

liquid calcium (i use kent marine calcium buffer part a and b): i put it in the tank in the morning its 10ml per 40gals.

iodine : 8 drops per 50 gals each day

strontium and molybdenum (is one bottle) : one teaspoon per 50 gals every 4 days. and you can dose it with kalkwasser.


hope this helps a bit.

[donkeyjuju]

That's good advice....but WHY do you put these additives in the tank. I think that is what Moonkitten is trying to get at and I would like to know also. I have had my tank running for a couple months now and I check the pH, amonia, nitrite and nitrate, but I have not tested these other levels. What is the importance, in the biosystem of the tank, of watching these other parameters and adding these supplements?

[reefcrazy20]

most of it depends on what kind of corals you have....i have a lot of SPS corals so in a few of my tanks i built a calcium reactor.

the iodine provides bio-available iodine to reef inhabitants. although it is present in salt mixes, iodine is rapidly used up in the system, and removed by protein skimming. algae also use iodine, concentrated iodine supplement replaces iodine needed for proper growth and health of invertebrates and algea.

the strontium and molybdenum is used for the growth and health of hard and soft corals. your corals will open more stay attached to their skeletions better. this is put in the tank ever 4 days....

i use a calcium and buffer (kent marine tech part A&B) it keeps my ph at 8.3 and my dkh at 10-12. and my calcium is always 450ppm.


hope this helps a bit.