Allen's Damselfish/Availability  2/18/06
Hi Bob ...<James today.>
Where can I get a few Pomacentrus alleni (Allen's damselfish)?    
they don't seem to available here in Lemont Il. <Drs Foster & Smith have them. Using the Google tool will produce plenty of sources.  James (Salty Dog)>
thanks, <Welcome>
David

Darkening Chromis  12/21/05
Hi Crew, I recently purchased thirteen green chromis to start off the  system in my 330 gallon tank. They all looked great except for one who was  missing
his upper lip and an 1/8 of his right pectoral fin.
<... such "cut" damsels should be avoided... all in a batch>
This didn't  seem to be a problem as he was active and feeding well. Today I noticed  that he is almost completely tinted a smoky black color (he looks like he is  dirty). His eyes are also brown or black, even in the iris.
<Good descriptions>
I am feeding  the school an enriched flake food that helps prevent color loss and he has been  eating just fine. One of the others also appears to be beginning to be darkly  tinted and I don't want it to spread. Is it anything I need to be concerned  about?
<Oh yes... whatever predisposing factor/s are at play (likely rough handling, starvation... possibly cyanide or other toxic capture technique...) may spell the end for this group of Chromis... Only time can/will tell. You can read more re Damsel, Chromis Selection, archived in the FAQs on WWM. Bob Fenner>

Damsels. LOTS of Damsels!  12/13/05
Good afternoon! I have a 46 gallon that I was thinking about turning
into a damsel tank. Is this a good idea? <Why not? They're fun, hardy, cheap, bite hard, and quite pretty when they're little.> If so, which ones have to be added last. <They're all mean. Stocking order will probably not make a difference. But I'd say the "humbug/domino" and "blue devil" might be the worst, and thus go in last.> Thanks for your help. <Have fun! Wear armored gloves when you work in the tank! Hehehe. -Zo>

More Damsels= More Problems?  11/16/05
Hello crew
<Hi there! Scott F. here today!>
- need your wisdom once again. I have a 55gal semi-aggressive FOWLR tank. The fish are all over 3" (Maroon Clown pair, Coral Beauty, Yellow Tang).  I would like to liven it up a bit with a few Damsels (I don't mind squabbles but not to the death). They're feisty especially against the same species. 
<Yes they are>
Though the Yellowtail Blue Damsel can chill.
<Most of the time, anyways!>
Can I have 2 of each or just 1 of each - or not mix? Or should I keep an odd number? Thanks again!!! Anthony
<Well, Anthony-if you're inclined to keep damsels in your system, I'd always recommend keeping them either individually, or in odd-numbered lots (3, 5. etc.) to help disperse their aggression. On the other hand, your tank is pretty well stocked, IMO, and the addition of a number of Damsels into this tank will not only result in a very aggressive environment, but may push you over the edge from a bioload standpoint. I'd be inclined to add only one to this tank at this point. Three is possible, but you'd be pushing it, IMO. Best of luck! Regards, Scott F.> 

Cycling without Live rock: You still don�t need livestock  10/31/05
Hi,
<Hello Patrick.>
I will be cycling 135 gallon saltwater tank using the damsel method. 
<O� boy.>
I chose this method because I am unable to acquire live rock due to lack of money, and would like to have the damsels anyways. I am planning on using green Chromis (Chromis viridis) to cycle the tank, so I can have a nice school of them later. 
<Live rock and using fish are not the only ways to cycle a tank. You simply need a waste source, anything form a sample of substrate from a friends tank to some fish food will work. While live rock is the preferred media you can use other porous surfaces for bacteria to cultivate such as base rock and bio-media.> 
<<LR provides an inoculation of bacteria, housed within its pores (this may or may not include the anaerobic bacteria necessary to further break down nitrate into its individual components).  It does not provide the bacteria with food sources sufficient to maintain the colonies in situ, or to bring these colonies up in numbers sufficiently in order to add fish and avoid the rise in nitrogenous wastes.  A sample of substrata would again be used to inoculate, but does not provide food sufficient to maintain or bring up the size of these colonies.  Food that will decompose is what is necessary.  MH>>
How many of these fish would you recommend using? 
<None.> 
If I don't only use the green Chromis, I am considering doing a combination of both green Chromis and blue reef Chromis (Chromis cyaneus). 
<May run into problems with that mix.> 
If I do the combo how many of each fish would you recommend? 
<To cycle? None.> 
And would they school separately? 
<Have not personally observed this mixture in captivity but generally schooling fish tend to �just-hang-out� in captivity, excluding very large tanks.>
Thanks, Patrick
<Research WWM Re: Marine cycling. You�re welcome, Adam J.>  

Aggression and Compatibility  9/24/05
<Adam J with you.>
Two quick questions.  
<Ok go for it.>
We've got a 120 Gal FOWLR with a purple tang,
dwarf zebra lion, H. ornatissimus wrasse, Forcipiger BF, and three or
four small asst. damsels.  Water parameters are great.  The issue is
between the purple tang and the BF.  They got along great when they
were introduced.  About a week or two later, the tang started
following around the BF and occasionally nipping.
<The purple tang and others in the Zebrasoma genus can be quite territorial.>
This calmed down quite a bit in a day or two.  That was a few weeks ago.  All of a sudden, I noticed this morning that most of the BF's beautiful tail
was shredded!  Must have been the tang -- it was also suddenly
chasing around the damsels, too (never seen that before).  Could it
just be hungry?  It attacked the Nori I put in, and seemed to calm
down a bit.  Any suggestions?  We love that tang.
<There are many methods suggested to quell fighting amongst tank mates, and you can find those here on the FAQ’s at WWM, my favorite one is rearranging rockwork and thus creating a new territory. However these methods are still not guaranteed and it may be necessary to remove the victim or aggressor permanently.>
Also, I was wondering if Talbot's damsel was "calm" enough to keep
with two clown gobies (yellow and green) in an 11 gal nano reef (15
lbs of live rock, lots of hiding places).  I had a C. hemicyanea in
They’re previously, and had to remove it because it made the gobies
"nervous".  Sounds like Talbot's is a more placid fish.
<They are much more social than most of their Damsel cousins, however they too can be quite territorial at times. To increase your chances of pulling this off I would add the gobies first (if you don’t already have them) allow them get established before adding the damsel.>
Thanks,
Dan
<Anytime, Adam J.>

Schooling Chromis - 9/14/05
Hello Robert and Gang (or Crew, whichever you prefer)!
I have a 150 gallon tank and I was hoping to add a small group of Chromis viridis (5 fish) and Chromis cyaneus (3 fish). <Should be fine. I would maybe add the them all at once if your filtration can handle the load (likely if you aren't saturated fish wise) or I would add them in order you specified 5 Viridis and then 3-4 Cyaneus>  I've read on WWM, among other places, that these two species are more likely to form a shoal, or even school, when they feel threatened. <May shoal without bullying or predatory threats> I guess my question is: how aggressive of a fish will it take to threaten/frighten them into this behavior? <Likely a predator of some sort.> Would either of the damsel species Amblyglyphidodon aureus (Golden) or Dascyllus marginatus (Marginated) do the trick? <Not in my opinion but putting a fish or any animal under any amount of stress in a closed aquarium is just not proper in my opinion. Especially if just for aesthetics. Unfortunately, it happens all too often even at the top level. I don't mean to condescend or chastise, but I really have a hard time with actually accepting this type of configuration. We are all guilty of it at some level, though. Try to see if they will school before stress induced shoaling> Any other small, hardy fish come to mind? <For schooling I think your best bet is the Chromis. ~Paul>
Appreciate you!
-Trent

Fish Stocking Density  09/13/2005
Hola. I read on the site that the general rule of thumb for stocking an
"average" marine aquarium is around one cubic inch per five gallons
(potential volume or actual volume?)<tank size volume> . Are you sure this isn't
longitudinal inches (of a fish of "average" width) per five gallons? <I'm sure> I
mean, this is the way I was taught when I first got into aquaria.
Here's an example...
Say you've got a 50 gallon marine aquarium (with good equipment,
maintenance regimen, etc. -an "average" marine aquarium). Now, the way I
was taught is that you can only stock this average tank with around 5
two-inch average-sized fish-let's say Chromis viridis-if you hold true to
the 5 gallon per longitudinal inch rule. Although with the stocking
levels suggested on WWM, you'd be able to stock around 15 two-inch
Chromis (because a two-inch Chromis, on average, is probably only about
1/3 of an inch thick and therefore 3 two-inch Chromis amounts up to about
two cubic inches of fish and your allowed to have 10 cubic inches of fish
per 50 gallons, therefore 15 fish). <By cubic inch, I'm saying that if you had a one inch cube, you could easily compress a Chromis into it with room to spare.  Consider that a two inch long puffer carries more body weight than a two inch goby, so length of fish is not very realistic in this regard.  The more mass a fish has the more waste it will produce. So a two inch puffer is going to produce more waste than a two inch goby, and waste is what we are concerned with when establishing stocking levels.>
I don't know about you guys, but 5 Chromis sounds like a more realistic
number (although a little on the understocked side) than 20 for this tank.
So do you think the "right" number of fish for this tank would be 5, 20,
or somewhere in-between? <I would say ten Chromis' in a 50 would be safe> <<I wouldn't place more than 5... of easygoing species. RMF>>
Thanks in advance for any help you can give, you guys are great. -Trent <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>

Blue Damsel school?  9/8/05
Good Day to all, I have a 300 gallon live rock with fish tank. The inhabitants are Blue Tang, Yellow Tang, Yellow Watchman Goby, false percula, wrasse, Black Cap Basslet. I have purchased three blue damsels for schooling addition. Will they tend to school in this size tank or separate? Will they be ok with the other fish in the tank? Thank you for your time.  <There are several fishes sold as "blue damsels".  Most are aggressive, especially to each other and although they may school when small, they become territorial loners when they get larger.  They may become aggressive toward some of your other smaller fish, so do keep an eye on them.  If you want schooling fish, look to the Chromis'.  Best Regards.  AdamC.>

Damsel Aggression...Is It Real? - 09/07/05
I have a 39 Gal FO tank, with an Ocellaris Clown Fish, a Scarlet  
Cleaner shrimp, and some Blue Leg Hermit Crabs.  I am considering the addition of an Orangetail Blue Damsel, but am worried about  
aggression.  Is everything I hear about Damsels true or do people  
exaggerate?  Do you think it would get along with my Clown?  I really like that blue :).
<<Damsels are considered by most to be aggressive by nature...and some species are more aggressive than others (e.g. - Domino and Humbug).  The Orange-tail Blue Damsel is a truly beautiful little fish, and as far as damsel aggression goes, rates toward the lower-middle end of the scale in my opinion.  That's not to say they are pushovers, but given some space they seem to be more tolerant than many other Damsels, saving their aggression for others of the same specie.  I have two of my own (males I think) that get along fine; though they are housed in ten-times your water volume.  My point being that "space" can go a long way toward tempering aggression.  Your tank "may" prove to be to small, but given the fact the Clown is already established (and Clowns are scrappy little Damsels in their own right) I would consider it worth the risk.  In fact, you may find the Damsel running from the Clown at first.>>
If not what suggestion would you have on other blue fish, that would get along?  Can't seem to find that many.  
<<Hmm...have experienced this issue/phenomenon myself.  Tangs are definitely out (tank is too small)...might try searching through the available Gobies in the trade...though you won't find anything as "blue" as the Damsels.>>
Thanks
<<Welcome, EricR>>

How many green Chromis - 6/2/05
I have a 30g saltwater tank with 20lbs of live rock and 2 false perc clowns, 1 watchman goby, 14 hermit crabs, 3 snails, and 2 cleaner shrimp...was thinking of adding a small school or green Chromis...not too many because I also want to add a flame angel or royal Gramma in the future <Easy question for me. I might catch some flack but this is from my experience....I would not add a single Chromis or flame and go for the Gramma. The flame angel will get fairly large for such a small tank and sometimes will bully. The Chromis can be sensitive and would need to be added as an odd number grouping. Just a lot of stress if they are not real healthy. Quarantine is always necessary. The grammas stay relatively small and are quite hardy. Captive bred is usually best.> ...my question is what would be a good amount of green Chromis to add without over crowding my current tank so I can add at least one more if not 2 more in the future? <Go for the Gramma. Keep the fish small. Chromis tend to in-fight and if you must add Chromis then I would add 3-5 no more, no less. No flame in my experience. Gramma if you don't add the Chromis. A lot to think about but you will be glad as you will likely suffer less frustration from death and have room for the inhabitants. Thanks for being part of it all. ~Paul>

Damsel Tank
Hello Crew!!!!
Hope everyone is doing well today. One day closer to a 3 day weekend!!! WOO HOO!! My question is a simple question. I have a 56 gallon tank that I'm currently using for freshwater fish. I think the dimensions are 30" x 18" x 24". After the freshwater fish retire, I want to convert that to saltwater. I am also starting a 40 gallon saltwater tank. I would love to have damsels, but I've had my share of experiences with these mean fish and I don't want any in my 40 gallon community saltwater tank.
How many damsels could I have in the 56 gallon? 
<Depends on full growth size. Figure one cubic inch of fish per five gallons of water.>
Could I keep one of each species that I am interested in? These are the species that I would love to have in this tank. Yellow Belly Blue Damsel, Starcki Damsel, Talbot Damsel and maybe a Scott's and/or Tasmanian Devil Damsel. All of these fish are pictured on http://www.petsolutions.com.  All of the fish, I'm assuming, would have to be added at the same time to avoid future conflicts. 
<Good idea adding all at once. Keep in mind damsels are scrappers and there will be some conflicts. Provide plenty of hiding spots, caves, tunnels, etc.>
I do love these fish. They are just beautiful. What is your opinion?? 
<As above. Do a Google search on WWM, keyword, damsels.> 
Thanks for your help.
<You're welcome, Jennifer. James (Salty Dog)> 

Yellow Tail Damsel Addition
Hello, great site.  Thanks for all the info I've gleaned from reading previous inquiries.
<Welcome>
I have a 72g reef.  There are a few corals and mushrooms.  I cycled with 6 gr. Chromis, of which 5 survived.  Added a lawnmower blenny next and he's doing fine.  Next were two perc. clowns, also doing fine.  All of this was done over the first three months of the tank.  The tank is now at 3 1/2 months and a few days ago I added a yellow tail damsel.  All seems well, but after reading through all of the postings, I'm a little concerned about the future aggression of the damsel.
<With what you have, not likely a problem>
I took the recommendation of my LFS and only bought one of the guys.  After reading your posts I think I can see why.  If I had added more, would it have eventually been like adding a gang of
street thugs to the tank?
<Not with most Chrysiptera spp.>
If I keep it at one damsel, should I expect that he won't become too aggressive?
<Again, not likely>
My eventual plan is to add just one more fish to this tank.  That would be a mandarin dragonet after the tank is about a year old.  Will the dragonet be in danger from the damsel if I do this?  Thanks in advance.
Mark
<Due to their very different habitats, all should be fine. Bob Fenner>

Turtle weed, Adding fish in three's
Dear Bob,
<Howard>
I am well into my 4th year as a reef keeper, having started with Conscientious Aquarist and relied on WWM as well as you and Anthony's newer books and email advice. I have been a diver for 40 years and wanted to have a bit of wonders of the reef in my home. It is better than my best pictures!
<Mine too>
My 100 net gallon show tank is supported by most everything available to maintain perfect conditions: a 30 gal refugium with 6 inch DSB full of regularly harvested Caulerpa, a 40 gal refugium loaded with harvested Chaetomorpha and producing both amphipods and copepods. With the 40 gallon filter sump, I have about 160 net gallons in circulation. A 7 unit R/O-D/I, an 0-3 generator with ORP metering-TurboFlotor, 25 watt U/V, chiller, and a big 25 micron canister that is run once a month for a week or so and then cleaned.
All this is run by two 700 gph Iwaki pumps and four large powerheads in the show tanks, one in each refugium. Circulation in the show tank is over 3,000 gph. U/V is valved to 150 gph. TurboFlotor/O-3 at about 300 gph. Everything is controlled by timers an sensors so I can leave it for 2 week trips. Filtration and refugiums are in the basement.
Ca is maintained at about 400 with Kalk top off. Nitrates are 0 at the suction sump leading to the show tank and seldom detected in the show tank. ORP stays between 440 and 460. Water change is 10 gallons/ two weeks along with 2 cups of fresh carbon and chemical checks, addition of bicarb, Iodine, Strontium, Epsom, to maintain ideal levels and hardness. Temp is controlled 78 to 80, sp gr at 1.034. Mixing/ageing tank and R/O collection tank are aerated and heated.
Lighting is 540 watts of VHO florescent (mostly 10,000 K) on the show tank (replaced every 6 months) and metal halide pendulums on the refugiums.
Feeding is very light with just a bit of dry food, pods, and freshly hatched brine shrimp once a week. The tang gets a fresh clump of Caulerpa weekly.
Numerous small hermits and large snails inhabit the show tank along with 1 yellow Hawaiian tang, 1 true Percula clown, 3 green Chromis, 3 Dartfishes, 1 algae blenny, 4 neon gobies, 1 skunk cleaner shrimp, and 1 flasher wrasse. 150 pounds of live rock is well covered with calcareous algae. SPS and soft corals are very healthy. Most of the livestock has been with me since the first year.
<Sounds very nice>
I have built this system in an effort to create a very low maintenance, naturally filtered ecosystem using all the knowledge available. Perhaps I have failed. I am plagued by turtle weed on the top of my tank and Cyano on the bottom. What else can I do? The snails can't keep up with the Cyano, the tang never goes to the top of the tank where the weed grows, 100 crabs don't get it done. The "algae blenny" gobbles amphipods. Is there another algae eating fish that will get along with my peaceful community and eat the stuff in the top 1/4 of the tank?
<Mmm, perhaps increase the lighting on/over your two sumps... add a bit (a few ounces) of activated carbon in a Dacron bag, place it in your filter flow path)... add some new (a few tens of pounds) of live rock... switch out the substrate in the main tank...>
I would change the lighting to metal halide but the refugium half full of fast growing Chaetomorpha with MH lighting also has its share of bad algae.
<I see>
Next subject: adding fish in three's. While I have never lost a fish to a disease process by the quarantining and dipping Fenner system, I have put in three Dartfishes and three green Chromis only have a pair drive the third to living in the back of the aquarium. I wish to add a few blue Chromis. should I add them in three's? Note: 4 fish have not survived the quarantine tank, Foster Smith credited me for them.
<I would, yes>
Howard in Wisconsin
<Bob Fenner in Hawai'i>

Considering Chromis - 11/18/04
Mr. Fenner, <Paul in for Bob today!>
I would like your input on these little guys. <Sure.> I have a 75 gallon with 120 pounds of LR and numerous softies.
Currently I have a Percula, royal Gramma and a coral beauty. Tank has been up and running for over 6 years. Never wanted to get a big fish because of limited swimming space with so much LR. <Understand. A great idea regardless of tank size and swim room.> Thought about adding a few of these but were unsure of their temperament. <Well, actually, I preface my ramblings here with "this is purely my observations and opinions", but I find them to sometimes be quite aggressive even in a group of three. Also, they seem to have a bit of high mortality rating recently. Not sure if it is collection methods, poor acclimation at the wholesaler, poor fish stock in general or what. I have yet to get a stable batch in quite some time. We seem to keep the ones that live and try (emphasis on try) to add them together from different schools as they die off.>
Will they get along with my other fish? <They should have little problems with your fish selection in my opinion.> Are they hardy? <Loaded question, but I would say they have been in the past but as I stated above, lately, the places I have seen, wholesaler/retailer outlets they have a high mortality rate currently.> How many would you add? <To your tank? I would say about 9-11 (odd numbers preferable) I was told they school and should add anywhere from 3 to 8. <Oh, you could easily make them the premiere display of your tank. They look awesome schooling, again though, they do seem to get a bit nippy and aggressive to each other in smaller schools. As a matter of fact, I would try adding like five at one time and then maybe another three a month later then add another three a few weeks after that. You will likely lose a few. Get them young, (Important, that they are on the small and healthy side) and from a quality store. Quarantine them if possible or see if the store can do it for you. (if possible) Acclimate them slowly to your tank, keep water quality high, and then wait for a month before adding another school. Just don't want to stress your bio filtration with too big of an addition at one time. Let me know your findings and if it works out send a pick of them schooling. Do use the internet as a tool and see what others are saying. Check forums and other articles in various books, too. Don't rely too much on one source. Hope this helps. Thanks for participating here at WetWebMedia. ~Paul>
This is why I'm asking.
Thank you
Ken

Chromis
Hello!
I would like a few Chromis for my 55g tank. I really like the Blackbar
Chromis (Chromis retrofasciata). I read in a few places that this fish,
like other Chromis, are peaceful and do well in groups. However, I've
seen in a few other places that they're just as aggressive as other
damselfish. Do you know one way or the other? << I'll say good fish. >> I would hate to spend so
much time and effort to find these fish, only to have them not get along
in my tank (with each other or with the other fish). Other inhabitants
are 1 fairy wrasse, 1 lawnmower blenny, 1 clown goby, 1 chalk bass.
<< I think you will be fine, and in general I think Chromis are great tank mates. >>
Thanks!
Kari
<<  Blundell  >>

Damsels
Hi,
I was wondering about damsel fish. Can they also change from male to female
like the clownfish?
<Some species are known to do this>
I would also like to know how many Dominos I should get for
my ten gallon. Thanks
<Actually, none... ten gallons is too small for even one specimen. You are encouraged to either look into other families of fishes (e.g. gobies, cardinals, blennies...) or save up for a larger system that will grant you greater latitude in species selection. Bob Fenner> Re: Xenia troubles

Re: Damsels
<Hi, MikeD here>
After reading everything I can on your site I'm amazed the LFS's even stock Damsels and wonder why on earth anyone would buy them.<because they are small, pretty and cheap and don't know what else is coming> I guess because everyone's as dumb as me!<Not dumb...we all have to start somewhere> I had a sergeant major and an unidentified (black with blue stripes down nose and around tail eye spot) one we caught ourselves which survived all other fish when I had a tank tragedy (pH shock, down too low over time then up too high and down too low again in one day) without any problems other than some rapid surface breathing which they recovered from in a day or two as I stabilized the pH. Left this as is for a month to get my bearings on pH and water quality.<Wise move> So we got sick of just looking at these fish and weather was too crappy to go catch some more so we bought two more damsels a lemon/yellow and a blue and yellow diagonally split one similar sizes to the other two knowing the black one is pretty aggressive<bad move> (the sergeant lived through his harassing although they still annoy one another from time to time) thinking as they were feisty in the dealers tank they could match up to our current devils. They hid in one corner of the tank most of yesterday and have had hind fins and tails nipped at, say 10% gone, are coming out more today but are still being harassed preferring to hide when they can (black one chases them out of hiding for sport) if they survive this will their fins just heal or might they develop fin/tail rot or some such?<They're not likely to survive and the fins will probably be chewed beyond repair if they aren't removed immediately!> Should I do anything like fresh water dip to be sure? I do want other fish can I have aggressive fish with them if so which ones would be better?<I have a sergeant-Major in my 300 that's 5" long. In a 42 gal. tank, not much will stand up to a damsel, particularly a large one.> Tank is only 42g (4 foot) is this too many damsels should we get rid of one/some/most?<Honestly, I'd say all> Most/least aggressive?<It's a moot point> If we get rid of the aggressive one will the others become aggressive as they stake out territory?<<Zero if you'd like another type of fish.> How many would be ok in my tank? Any fish I should definitely stay away from with these bullies (i.e.. ones they will kill)?<You're not going to like this answer...live ones!**grin** Again, my suggestion is to find homes for them and move on to a more peaceful fish that you like. I've had 1" damsels attack ME while snorkeling. It's a hard choice I know, but good luck>

Damsel Catching
Hi Bob:
<Actually Ryan today, welcome>
Quick Question.  I have a trio of green reef damsels (Chromis) who seem
to be biting at the tips of my torch coral. <Unusual, but happens.> Do these need to be removed? <They may be doing minimal damage.  Many reefs have fish that nibble from time to time, but do little damage in the long run.  Have you tried telling them Torch is high in carbs?  ;)  If you see signs of stress to the coral, you'll want to remove them.>
If so--any suggestions on how to remove them from a 46 gallon bow with
80 lbs of live rock?
<Two nets, netting replaced with plastic bags.  And a good cheerleader.  If you can manage to separate the fish into half of the tank with some sort of divider, you'll have a better chance of snagging them quickly.  Happy fishing, Ryan>

First Fish (11-17-03)
Thanks. <No problem.> I have one more question. Would a Green Chromis be good in my tank if I put 2 of them in or no.<The Chromis should be fine but I would put 3 as odd numbers usually help distribute aggression.  On the other hand you also don't have a lot of room to work with.  You can find some more info at our site www.wetwebmedia.com.  Cody>

Damsel ID/Info
I hate to even ask this without a pic, but my LFS got in some damsels that I
had never seen before.  
<A good photo is a tremendous help...but...I'll hazard a guess anyway>
They look exactly like the pic on your site of
Pomacentrus chrysurus, but their bodies show no blue (they are approximately
the color of the brown stripes on a Dischistodus prosopotaenia).
<Many of the damselfishes in the Pomacentrus genus are blue...but not the critter that you specified>
Could these be stressed/juvenile Pomacentrus chrysurus?  
<Not IMO...I am going out on a limb and venturing a semi-educated guess at what you have seen: I think it is the adult Pomacentrus chrysurus or...how about an alternative?...a Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus damselfish. That's "fancy fish talk" for a Jewel Damselfish. The Jewel is an olive green/brown fish with a few colorful spots along the head and the dorsal fin area, thus the "Jewel" in the common name>
The guy at the LFS I spoke to said that they didn't like getting them in because they had such a high mortality rate; is there any cause for this?  
<Really? Interesting <G> I think I would try a different supplier for these fish. Normally, damselfishes are one of the toughest fish that you can buy. They are very disease resistant, particularly Pomacentrus. I hasten to add that wild-caught clownfish (Amphiprion and Premnas) are often imported with parasites/disease but are hardy once established in a stable system.>
I've been through the Pomacentrus article and FAQ and I couldn't find any specific info about behavior/feeding/etc. of Pomacentrus chrysurus.  
<Well for starters...Remember that nearly all damselfishes are quite territorial and have the potential to harass their own kind as well as other more peaceful fish. If you have a large tank you can house an odd numbered school of damsels (Pomacentrus) but if your tank is small (under 55 gallons), just one. Feeding is easy...they are carnivorous and herbivorous. They will eat and stay healthy by consuming meaty items of marine origin as well as picking at whatever algae is growing in your tank>  
If you could share any info you might be privy to, I would be grateful :).
Thanks,
Laura
<You are very welcome. I hope I've helped...David Dowless>

Allen's/Andaman Damsel
Dear Mr. Fenner,
I am 14 years old & just set-up a 55g for the 3 fish I've been planning on.
It will be a FOWLR with a l/n hawkfish, Picasso trigger & porcupine puffer. 
<Ah, quite an adventure> 
I had no plans of having any damsels until yesterday when I saw for the first time the Allen's damsels. Their coloring is really something and they were selling very fast at $16 bucks each!
<Beautiful species... and a good price, I'll assure you. Not easy to catch, ship...>
I am wondering what your opinion is to adding one to the mix of fish I have chosen and if adding the damsel last instead of first would be wise. 
<Mmm, would be better to add it first... and the system will be too crowded even without the Allen's Damsel in time>
I read an article in AFM that says these are one of the best species of damsels but I am still going back and forth wondering if it would be o.k. with this grouping. Thanks a lot, Roberto
<Should be, as I say, for a few to several months. With cover, the Damsel should be able to stay out of harms way. My coverage, photo here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pomacentrus.htm 
Be chatting. Bob Fenner>

Red Damsel fish
Hi Bob,
Love your site! I read your question & answer page every day!
<Great to read>
I was at the LFS today and they had a fish they called a Red Damsel fish. I
have never seen it before and didn't find it on your FAQs page.
<More than 350 described species... am not surprised to be missing a few... let's go diving!>
The ones they had were small, probably less than 1" in length. They were bright red with a dark blue spot outlined with light blue on the base of the dorsal fin. Are you familiar with this fish? 
<Maybe Neoglyphidodon crossi... though the pic on FishBase.org doesn't do it justice... in any case, all of the bright red damsels I know of are only such as juveniles... turning into non-descript browns, blacks and tans with age/growth...>
My boss is looking for another colorful fish for the 25 gal at the office, would this fish fit in with an Ocellaris, Bicolor blenny and yellow tail damsel?
<Hard to say... You might have a tussle with the Clown or other Damsel... I would get a more peaceful, dissimilar species... Like a Gramma, Jawfish... that would get along... See the "Selecting reef livestock" section on the WWM website>
They also had some young yellow gobies about 1" long. Would the Bicolor
blenny in my 80 gal tank at home bully one of these little guys? 
<Too much likelihood>
I also have a 30 gal tank, just finished curing the live rock. I've set it up to put my male Banggai cardinal in. He is carrying eggs and should release in a few
days! Would the small yellow goby be ok with the cardinal fry? 
<Only if the Banggai young were large enough to not fit in the gobies mouth>
I know the gobies generally stay on the substrate and the fry will probably stay up in the macro algae (Caulerpa and Halimeda).
<But they will come close enough to potentially be eaten if small>
Thanks for your input! Kathy
<Be chatting. Bob Fenner>

Least Aggressive Damsels
Hello. I was wondering, what genus of damsels tends to be fairly mellow? I know of Chromis, but are Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus highly aggressive? Or Amblyglyphidodon? 
<Good study on your part... of the many genera, more than 325 current species of Pomacentrids, you have picked out some of the better, easier going ones>
Are any of the genera peaceful enough to be kept with dwarf angels, fairy wrasses, ornate wrasses, clown fishes?
<Yes... most of the species of the three you list are fine. They're covered to an extent, and references listed on WetWebMedia.com Bob Fenner>

Avoiding A Damsel In Distress
Dear Mr. Fenner,
<Scott F. here this morning!>
Found a number of your articles on the Wet Web Media website when doing a web search for marine fish info and thoroughly enjoyed them.  Was very impressed by your knowledge and obvious love of these fascinating and wonderful creatures.
<They are all priceless treasures!>
We have a 38 gallon, fish-only aquarium with a large Maroon Clownfish, Purple Pseudochromid and a Yellow-tailed Blue Damsel.  We're looking to add another fish, and are quite taken with the Amblyglyphidodon Damselfishes, particularly Amblyglyphidodon aureus (Golden Damselfish).
<They have a classic damsel shape and some neat behaviors-understandable that you like 'em!>
Your WWM article notes that this is an easy-going fish, but I know that having two or more fish from the same family in a small community tank is generally not a great idea (they fight).  Would adding a Golden Damselfish to our tank be advisable?
<If for no other reason than their ultimate potential size (5 inches or more), I'd pass on them for your sized system. Perhaps in a much larger tank, you could try a small group of them.>
Thanks much for any assistance you can provide. --Kevin M.
<And thank you for stopping by! Keep reading and studying!>