Damsels

[oceanlover10]

My two three stripped damsels were swimming around just fine yesterday. But now they hide behind rock and since they hide they Dont get food. I need some help....wait now one is dead!

 

[Shoei]

My two three stripped damsels were swimming around just fine yesterday. But now they hide behind rock and since they hide they Dont get food. I need some help....wait now one is dead!

I got 1 about a month ago havent ever seen it eat. He hides 100% of the time and he pushes himself as close to a rock as he can to hide hurting himself. He still alive though so i am in the same boat as you with this weird damsel.

Water paras?

 

[oceanlover10]

I just Dont understand y the only fish that thrive in my tank are my clowns...i do water changes and check chemicals allll the time

 

[Schism]

My two three stripped damsels were swimming around just fine yesterday. But now they hide behind rock and since they hide they Dont get food. I need some help....wait now one is dead!

Whats your parameters? Salinity temp ph ammonia nitrite and nitrate. Do you see and white spots or signs if disease or infection? Also how old is the tank?

 

[oceanlover10]

Water temp and salt is in green zone...no nitrite nitrate or ammonia

 

[oceanlover10]

Ph is I think 8.0

 

[Madcrazyroyboy]

I had 2 striped damsels and I couldn't kill them even tho I tried. Took all equipment off and the damsels survived over 5 months of no water changes or nothing so I decided just to give them away. They wouldn't die and if yours did there's something seriously wrong with your tank! I think the only thing that saved my damsels was the DSB

 

[christine2012]

I had 2 striped damsels and I couldn't kill them even tho I tried. Took all equipment off and the damsels survived over 5 months of no water changes or nothing so I decided just to give them away. They wouldn't die and if yours did there's something seriously wrong with your tank! I think the only thing that saved my damsels was the DSB

Sorry, but that is a horrible way to attempt euthenasia on a fish. I hope you found new methods of humane euthenasia.

 

[oceanlover10]

Only one died thanks. It was only a baby

 

[christine2012]

I had 2 striped damsels and I couldn't kill them even tho I tried. Took all equipment off and the damsels survived over 5 months of no water changes or nothing so I decided just to give them away. They wouldn't die and if yours did there's something seriously wrong with your tank! I think the only thing that saved my damsels was the DSB

My post was in reference to ^^this. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Madcrazyroyboy]

My post was in reference to ^^this. Sorry for any confusion.

Well that's your problem. I did it as an experiment because they killed my clowns. For the person who actually wanted an answer you might have not acclimated your fish to your tank right. You can buy an acclimating kit from your local fish store. Have the bag float in your tank water for 15 minutes then use the drip method about 1-2 drops per second for 45 minutes, you may need to dump some of the water half way through. After that acclimate it to your tank water again to reduce shock even more then net your fish in and put it nicely into the tank and dispose of the other water the fish was acclimated into. Don't pour into your own tank. Baby fish have a bad survival rate unless they were captive reared. If you did all those things then the fish probably wasn't going to make it anyways. Find a book that goes into detail about what to look out for. Most fish that don't eat are results from intense stress from being moved and shipped. Make sure the fish are eating before you buy them. if you have a healthy fish damsels are indestructible. Literally. They are very aggressive especially when they are the first to put into your tank.

 

[oceanlover10]

I added them just the way u said

 

[Madcrazyroyboy]

Then he might of been stressed from the shipping and moving from place to place. Did you try feeding different things? If they are wild then they might not feed on flakes or anything like that. Also ask what your fish store what they feed and try to pick the healthiest one. If they eat then they are pretty healthy but make sure it's not swimming funny or any diseases. When you add a fish it's good to keep the lights out for 24 hours.

 

[oceanlover10]

I feed it but it dosent come out to eat

 

[Madcrazyroyboy]

I have a yellow tail damsel in my 30 gal and he doesn't eat either but I did catch him eating some of the little patch of algae. Try using a little seaweed on a clip.

 

[54seaweed]

any tank mates in tank , fish will hide if stressed or being picked on
water parameters are another factor

 

[Madcrazyroyboy]

Damsels are bullies. They are pretty much bullet proof fish. What size is the tank anyways?

 

[Shoei]

Update on my stripped damsel. He gave up the fight this morning he was sucked into the overflow. No signs of diesease or being attacked. I was worried about him last night he was swimming straight up then down very odd so i thought this might happen. All other fish and corals are doing great though testing the water when i get home then a water change to be safe.

Very sad to see him go ;(

 

[oceanlover10]

Only clown fish...he stays under the rock day and night

 

[biss444]

sorry about your fish, i have a blue damsel, witch is forever digging under rocks, throwing sand everywhere, i have three ,stripped damsels and a three spot, they have doubled in size from the time i bought them, and are actually fairly aggressive, especially when new fish are put in