EEP! Help!

[Labrat]

A 50 gallon tank with two blue damsels and a yellow tang... The damsels got along fine until the tang was added, but then one of the damsels decided it was going to rule the tank and enlisted the tang's aid in dominating the other damsel. The two constantly chase the one into hiding, nipping at it.
I was informed that their feeding had been changed for a couple of days during which the people sent to take care of the tank didn't feed the three as much as the owner had been. She thinks that may factor into it, but isn't sure. I told her I would ask you guys, since you helped me set up my own before.
She's very worried about her damsel, and I said I could get back to her relatively fast. Any ideas as to what to do or at least what is going on? I don't have a clue. Thanks for any help you can give.

~Sparkle

 

[edgekrusher]

Damsel are evil by nature, The are very territorial and one will always become the dominant one. I'm pretty sure that once the smaller damsel gets his ticket to the reef in the sky, the dominant one may start to pick on the Tang. The feeding shouldn't have anything to do with it. IMO I would get rid of the Damsel and get a clown.

 

[karma]

Agree - I don't have a lot of experience, but I did have 4 damsels alone in my 55 gal tank, 3 of them went against the smallest one, which died in 3 days, then of the remaining 3, 2 of them got together and killed the 3rd one, and so on, until I returned the last one to the LFS... Damsels are mean.

 

[Labrat]

Hm. Okay. I'll let her know. x.x vicious little buggers, aren't they? Thanks guys!

~sparkle

 

[Gilligan]

Damsels are aggressive but so are clowns. I would not put a clown in with a damsel they are territorial and will fight thus the Tang will probably get chased just the same.Option ?maybe trade the Tang back in for something else; ie: Flame Angel or maybe a coral beauty. A 50 gal may not be a good choice for a Tang since they also need a large amount of room to swim I would say min 70 gal.

 

[gfishguy56]

I must be a rare case because i have a Yellow Tang, 1 Blue Damsel, 1 Canary Yellow Damsel, 1 Yellow Tail Damsel, and a Mated False Percula Clown Pair all living in harmony in my 55 tank for over a year already. They were all placed in the tank at the same time, the clown pair claimed their area and the damsels duked it out for Rank Position. I even have a Royal Dottyback named Wimpy, who is anything but. All are alive, fat and happy. knocking on wood as i write...