Compatability Question

[Saltcreep]

Hello all,

I am currently maintaining/maturing two salt tanks. One is a 75g standard tank, about 50 lbs live rock and a few assorted hitchhiker critters. Home to two Blue Damsels, two Chocolate Damsels, One Yellow damsel, one Blue Damsel with a very yellow belly (getting bluer every week), a few red and blue leg hermits and at least one Bristleworm that I've seen. Oh, and way too much bubble algae and at least one nondescript sponge. Other tank is a 60g cube which I'm preparing for a Fu Manchu Lionfish. The cube currently has live rock, a few crabs, a Pyjama Cardinal and a Threadfin Hawkfish. I want to move the inhabitants of the cube into the 75g but I'm a little worried about the notorious behaviour of the Damsels. The only way I can introduce the Lion is to a fishless tank or it would be soon after anyway. The Damsels all get along surprisingly well, water parameters are all good; basically, the same in both tanks. So, my question is how does everyone think the Hawk and Cardinal would do in with the Damsels? When I first bought the Cardinal I put him in the cube where there were two Damsels at the time. I had to move very fast just to get him out with his fins intact. But the 75g is much longer with way more rock work providing hiding places.

Is this worth a try or am I just condemning the Hawk and cardinal to certain death?

Thanks

[pinoy]

I think both fish will be stressed. On my tank, the blue damsels are very aggressive....

[Dave and Diane]

Maybe this chart will help you a bit.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/compatibility_chart.cfm

Cheers

[Saltcreep]

Maybe this chart will help you a bit.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/compatibility_chart.cfm

Cheers

Great site, thanks.

According to the chart, the Threadfin Hawk should be fine with the Damsels but the Cardinal and Damsels don't even intersect on the chart. Pretty much what I was expecting. I may detect a third SW tank coming for that Cardinal and maybe some Bangaii's. That would push me to over 600 gallons in the fishroom.

[Dave and Diane]

Well lets put it this way.

One can NEVER have TOO many tanks.

Cheers

[Saltcreep]

Well lets put it this way.

One can NEVER have TOO many tanks.

Cheers

'Tis true, all too true. But, ten is a nice even number.

[Hookup]

Um, why not move them, see what happens after a few weeks?  Then buy the lionfish or move the cardinals back until you find a suitable solution?

IMO, you should put the Lion Fish in with the damsels and let nature take its course... then swap fish/systems.. simple, effective, entertaining... lol

[Saltcreep]

I actually went back and had another look at that chart because I knew I must have read it wrong. Assuming it's reasonably accurate and based on some good research, I think I'll give it try with a net at the ready. All it says is to use caution with the Cardinal and Damsels. I think that even with six Damsels in the 75 there should be enough places for the Cardinal to hide if he has to. May have to add a little more rock but right now that's a better option than another tank.

[Hookup]

In my experience, it's not always the places to hide, but the availabiity of food.  Damsels will agressively eat and eat leavign nothing for the cardinals... possibly.  I have to be VERY careful to feed my aurora goby cause he's a wimp and the clowns,tangs and wrasses are agressive feeders... PITA actually...

Agreussion is usualley either teriteroiral or/and color based... (speklling is awesomoness in that last one eh?)

I offer a 100% money back gaurentee on all of my posts.

[martin_jones]

I have a cardinal and a damsel in the same tank, and the cardinal is constantly harassed by the damsel. Cardinals don't tend to hide in the rockwork - he hangs out at the top of the tank in a corner, and the damsel frequently nips at him.

The damsel has to go really, but I cannot catch the little *******.

[White Lightning]

It's a little risky to have the cardinal and the damsels together, but you will never know for certain until they are actually together. I had the same question a while back and got the same replies. Despite the responses I recieved, I proceeded adding the cardinal with full intentions of removing him if things became problematic. This was approximately three months ago. So, for the last three months my pyjama cardinal has co-existed with my two clarkii's, domino damsel, blue devil damsel, blue damsel and another damsel that I am not exactly sure the name of. He is white with a yellow top fin and bright blue/balck bottom fins.
It is true that when it is feeding time, the damsels and clowns devour everything. So you must be sure that there is some for your cardinal. The only problem with that is, that it may lead to overfeeding which in turn can cause a whole bunch of other problems. Anyways, that's just my two cents. Good luck!