Scientific Name: Microspathodon chrysurus Common Names: yellowtail Damselfish (Jewel Damselfish)
Care Level: Easy Adult Size: 8.3 pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Tropical Western Atlantic Temperament/Behaviour: Juveniles can be combative with smaller, more-peaceful tankmates, but adults are even more aggressive and can inflict damage on a wider range of tankmates.
Compatible Tank mates: Larger Dottybacks, angelfishes, triggerfishes, puffers. Diet: Varied diet including meaty food items such as frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, as well as herbivore flakes and frozen preparations. Tank Size For Adult: 55gal (208l) Narrative: Ideal for the reef aquarium; will not harm any invertebrate tankmates and will eat some algae. Larger specimens may eat smaller crustaceans. Bejewelled with sparkling blue dots in a rich black body, juveniles of this common Western Atlantic species are difficult to resist. Typical of others in this genus, they become less spectacular as they grow, in this case changing to brown, with smaller blue spots and a yellow tail. Only one specimen should be kept per tank, whether juvenile or adult. House with larger, aggressive fishes.
Scientific Name: Neopomacentrus azysron Common Names: Yellowtail Demoiselle
Care Level: Easy Adult Size: 3.1 pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-west Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: It is less likely to harass its tankmates, although diminutive, peaceful species may be in some danger of being picked on in smaller tanks.
Compatible Tank mates: Blennies, Gobies, Angels, Butterflyfishes, Surgeonfishes. Diet: Varied diet including meaty food items such as frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, as well as herbivore flakes and frozen preparations. Tank Size For Adult: 20gal (76l) Narrative: Ideal for the reef aquarium; will not harm any invertebrate tankmates and will eat some algae. Sleeker and much less blue than the similarly named Yellowtail Damselfish (Chrysiptera parasema), this is a durable damsel that is not as aggressive as many of its relatives. More than one adult can be kept in a medium-sized aquarium, although all specimens should be introduced simultaneously.
Scientific Name: Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus Common Names: Jewel Damselfish
Care Level: Easy Adult Size: 3.9 pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo- Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Do not attempt to keep with peaceful tankmates- or even with other damselfishes, unless in a larger tank with equally belligerent species.
Compatible Tank mates: Triggers, larger Dottybacks, angelfishes, puffers, Eels. Diet: Varied diet including meaty food items such as frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, as well as herbivore flakes and frozen preparations. Tank Size For Adult: 55gal (208l) Narrative: Harmless to corals and most sessile invertebrates. Larger specimens may eat smaller crustaceans. Typical of many rather plain damselfishes that appear in the aquarium trade from time to time. Juveniles will usually survive even difficult aquarium conditions, and they can be counted upon to be extremely durable. Unfortunately they also become very aggressive as they gain size. Only one should be kept per tank, except in male-female pairs. Provide with plenty of hiding places.
Common Names: Blacktail Dascyllus (Striped Damselfish)
Care Level: Easy
Adult Size: 3.1
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3
Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C
Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026
Origin/Habitat: Western Pacific
Temperament/Behaviour: Best housed in a moderately aggressive community.
Compatible Tank mates: Larger Dottybacks, angelfishes, triggerfishes, puffers, Eels.
Diet: Varied diet including meaty food items such as frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, as well as herbivore flakes and frozen preparations.
Tank Size For Adult: 20 gal (76l)
Narrative: Will not harm sessile invertebrate tankmates and will eat some algae. Larger specimens may eat small crustaceans just after molting. A group of juveniles of this boldly marked species makes an interesting display, but unfortunately they mature into hellions, especially in smaller aquariums with placid tankmates. Very similar to D. aruanus, but with an added black patch on the tail. Adults will quarrel among themselves and also pester tankmates, unless they are larger and/or equally feisty.
Scientific Name: Dascyllus reticulatus Common Names: Reticulate Dascyllus
Care Level: Easy Adult Size: 3.1 pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Young specimens may be kept in groups, but adults will fight, unless they are a male-female pair. Will also battle with other damselfishes and pick on docile tankmates.
Compatible Tank mates: Larger Dottybacks, angelfishes, triggerfishes, puffers, Eels. Diet: Varied diet including meaty food items such as frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, as well as herbivore flakes and frozen preparations. Tank Size For Adult: 20 gal (76l) Narrative: Ideal for reef aquariums without small, timid fishes; will eat filamentous algae and won’t harm invertebrates. Not beautiful, but an extremely hardy reef fish. Like other members of the genus, it changes from a likeable, sociable juvenile into a belligerent adult that can disrupt an entire community tank.
Scientific Name: Pomacentrus alleni Common Names: Allen’s Damselfish
Care Level: Easy Adult Size: 2.4in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indian Ocean Temperament/Behaviour: Can be kept in groups and housed with relatively docile tankmates.
Compatible Tank mates: Blennies, Gobies, Surgeonfishes Diet: Varied diet including meaty food items such as frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, as well as herbivore flakes and frozen preparations. Tank Size For Adult: 55gal Narrative: Ideal for reef aquariums. Regarded by some as the most beautiful of the damselfishes, this species is named in honour of Dr. Geral R. Allen, the ichthyologist recognized as the world authority on the Family Pomacentridae. It is also on of the more-peaceful species and a wonderful aquarium fish. It will often perish in a tank with more-aggressive fishes. Provide with plenty of shelter sites. Other species in this genus have similar personalities and care requirements.
Care Level: Easy Adult Size: 6.3in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Eastern Indian Ocean to Western Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: One of the largest and most aggressive of the anemonefishes, it should never be housed with other anemonefishes or small, peaceful fish species.
Compatible Tank mates: Blennies, Gobies, Surgeonfishes, Angels Diet: Varied diet including meaty food items such as frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, as well as herbivore flakes and frozen preparations. Tank Size For Adult: 55gal (208l) Narrative: |This boldly beautiful Anemonefish is alone in its genus, with cheek spines unlike those of it Amphiprion spp. relatives. Keep singly or mated pairs. Highly sexually dimorphic, with females sometimes over three times the length of males. Readily acclimates and accepts a wide array of aquarium fare. Its cheek spines are easily entangles in aquarium nets; use a specimen container if capture is necessary. In nature, a male-female pair will inhabit one Bubbletip Sea Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolour).
Scientific Name: Anampses caeruleopunctatus Common Names: Bluespotted Wrasse (Tamarin Wrasse)
Care Level: Difficult Adult Size: 16.5in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Blennies, Gobies, Surgeonfishes, Angels Diet: Difficult to feed. Offer live foods such as black worms and adult brine shrimp to induce a feeding response. Live rock, or a tank with a healthy amphipod population, can help maintain weight while it adjusts to frozen aquarium foods. In time, some specimens will accept frozen Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, or finely chopped fresh or frozen table shrimp. Tank Size For Adult: 180gal (681l) Narrative: Anampses spp. have a poor survival record in captivity. They tend to ship poorly and usually refuse food when first acquired. Keep with nonaggressive fishes and provide at least 1in of fine sand. Several females can be kept in the same tank, or one or more females can be housed with a single male. Males are rarely available, but a female may transform into a male. Will jump from uncovered tanks.
Scientific Name: Bodianus anthioides Common Names: Lyretail Hogfish
Care Level: Relatively Easy Adult Size: 8.2in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: This species is one of the least aggressive hogfishes, but is best kept with moderately aggressive tankmates.
Compatible Tank mates: Blennies, Gobies, Surgeonfishes, Angels Diet: Meaty foods, including fresh or frozen seafoods, frozen or live brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, live black worms, flake food, live grass shrimp. Tank Size For Adult: 75 gal (284l) Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. Juveniles can be kept in the reef tank, but as they grow they will become a threat to crustaceans, worms, snails and small clams. The hogfishes are commendable, generally robust wrasses that readily adapt to aquarium life. Adults are quite active and need plenty of swimming space. Small juveniles may not survive in a competitive community tank; to increase their chances of survival, house with docile fish species and provide ample hiding places. Juveniles will often clean other fishes in captivity. Larger Lyretail Hogfish often blow jets of water at the sand surface from their mouths to uncover buried prey.
Care Level: Relatively Easy Adult Size: 3.9in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-West-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Peaceful as a juvenile but as it matures it will become more boisterous.
Compatible Tank mates: Blennies, Gobies, Surgeonfishes, Angels Diet: Meaty foods, including fresh or frozen seafoods, frozen or live brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, live black worms, flake food, live grass shrimp. Tank Size For Adult: 20gal (76l) Narrative: One of the best Hogfishes for the reef aquarium. Although it can be acclimated to the brighter conditions of the shallow reef tank, it does best in deep-water reef tanks. This is a great aquarium fish that readily adjusts to life in captivity. Its diminutive size makes it an ideal hogfish for the aquarist with a smaller tank. Juveniles do best if housed with nonaggressive tankmates, but as this species grows, it will become more boisterous and may bully smaller, more docile fish species, such as seahorses, pipefishes, flasher wrasses, leopard wrasses, and dartfishes. House singly unless the tank is large (100gal. [379l] or larger), in which case, introduce all individuals at the same time.
