Damsels
All Damselfish can be considered reef-safe, sometimes excluding larger, more aggressive Dascyllus varieties. Some Damselfish will host in anemones like clownfish. Most Damselfish are aggressive and difficult to catch once you put them in an aquarium.
Damselfish change gender as they grow larger and older. Small damselfish are ungendered. Eventually, they become males if no males prevent them from doing so. 1 or sometimes 2 males live with a female and guard over the eggs. Females are the largest fish and dominant over the males and juveniles. They will not allow other females into an area they have claimed as their territory without a fight. They may not allow new males or juveniles, either. Aggression increases with each change.
| Common name | Image | Taxonomy | Reef safe | Care Level | Description | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambon damsel | Pomacentrus amboinensis | Yes | Easy | 700110000000000000010 cm (3.9 in) | ||
| Azure damsel | Chrysiptera hemicyanea | Yes | Easy | A beautiful fish with neon blue on its body and a gold underside and caudal fin. Easy to care for and does best on a good diet. Fairly aggressive so choose tankmates carefully. | 700110000000000000010 cm (3.9 in) | |
| Black and gold damsel | Neoglyphidodon nigroris | Yes | Easy | 700113000000000000013 cm (5.1 in) | ||
| Blackmargined damsel | Pomacentrus nigromarginatus | Yes | Easy | 70009000000000000009 cm (3.5 in) | ||
| Blue damsel, Orangetail damsel | Chrysiptera cyanea | Yes | Easy | An orange tail indicates breeding success. The males have orange on their tails while the females do not. This fish is hardy and aggressive. | 70008500000000000008.5 cm (3.3 in) | |
| Blue and gold damsel | Pomacentrus coelestis | Yes | Easy | 70009000000000000009 cm (3.5 in) | ||
| Blue velvet damsel | Paraglyphidodon oxyodon | Yes | 700115000000000000015 cm (5.9 in) | |||
| Blueback damsel | Pomacentrus simsiang | Yes | Easy | 70009000000000000009 cm (3.5 in) | ||
| Blueline demoiselle, Yellowfin demoiselle | Chrysiptera caeruleolineata | Yes | Easy | 70006000000000000006 cm (2.4 in) | ||
| Bluefin damsel | Neoglyphidodon melas | Yes | Easy | 700118000000000000018 cm (7.1 in) | ||
| Caerulean damsel | Pomacentrus caeruleus | Yes | Easy | 70008000000000000008 cm (3.1 in) | ||
| Canary deep water damsel | Chrysiptera galba | Yes | Easy | 70009000000000000009 cm (3.5 in) | ||
| Cloudy damsel | Dascyllus carneus | Yes | Easy | 70007000000000000007 cm (2.8 in) | ||
| Cross' damsel | Neoglyphidodon crossi | Yes | Easy | 700113000000000000013 cm (5.1 in) | ||
| Domino damsel | Dascyllus trimaculatus | Yes | Easy | also known as the three spot damsel, this fish is easy to care for, but is also very aggressive. The fish is black except for three distinct white spots that fade as the fish ages. | 700114000000000000014 cm (5.5 in) | |
| Fiji blue devil damsel | Chrysiptera taupou | Yes | Easy | This striking blue damsel is one of the most popular beginner fish. Like other damsels, it is very hardy, and very aggressive when mature. | 70008000000000000008 cm (3.1 in) | |
| Four stripe damsel | Dascyllus melanurus | Yes | Easy | The four stripe damsel is a perfect beginner marine fish as it is very hardy. This fish is highly territorial and is best suited for a semi-aggressive to aggressive tank. | 700110000000000000010 cm (3.9 in) | |
| Garibaldi damsel | Hypsypops rubicunda | Yes | Easy to Moderate | These are temperate fish and require cooler water. They are much larger than most other damsels. | 700130000000000000030 cm (11.8 in) | |
| Honey head damsel | Dischistodus prosopotaenia | Yes | Difficult | 700117000000000000017 cm (6.7 in) | ||
| Hawaiian Dascyllus | Dascyllus albisella | Yes | Easy | 700112500000000000012.5 cm (4.9 in) | ||
| Jewel damsel | Microspathodon chrysurus | Yes | Easy | Among the largest and most aggressive Damsels | 700120000000000000020 cm (7.9 in) | |
| King demoiselle | Chrysiptera rex | Yes | Easy | 70007000000000000007 cm (2.8 in) | ||
| Lemon damsel | Pomacentrus moluccensis | Yes | Easy | 70009000000000000009 cm (3.5 in) | ||
| Longfin gregory | Stegastes diencaeus | Caution | Easy | Turns brown, and becomes highly territorial as it ages | 700112500000000000012.5 cm (4.9 in) | |
| Marginated damsel | Dascyllus marginatus | Yes | Easy | The marginated damsel is noted for blue fins as well as the yellow head and white body. This fish is hardy like most damsels and is also highly aggressive when mature. | 70006000000000000006 cm (2.4 in) | |
| Neon damsel | Pomacentrus alleni | Yes | 70006000000000000006 cm (2.4 in) | |||
| Ocellate damsel | Pomacentrus vaiuli | Yes | Easy | 70009000000000000009 cm (3.5 in) | ||
| Pavo damsel | Pomacentrus pavo | Yes | Easy | 700111000000000000011 cm (4.3 in) | ||
| Pink Smith damsel | Pomacentrus smithi | Yes | Easy | 70007000000000000007 cm (2.8 in) | ||
| Rolland's demoiselle | Chrysiptera rollandi | Yes | Easy | 70006000000000000006 cm (2.4 in) | ||
| Sergeant major damsel | Abudefduf saxatilis | Yes | Easy | 700115000000000000015 cm (5.9 in) | ||
| Speckled damsel | Pomacentrus bankanensis | Yes | Easy | 70009000000000000009 cm (3.5 in) | ||
| Springer's damsel | Chrysiptera springeri | Yes | Easy | 70005500000000000005.5 cm (2.2 in) | ||
| Stark's damsel | Chrysiptera starcki | Yes | Easy | 70007000000000000007 cm (2.8 in) | ||
| Talbots damsel | Chrysiptera talboti | Yes | Moderate | This damselfish is somewhat a little more delicate than other. It does best in small groups in large tanks with good water quality and an SG of 1.026. Feed on a good diet for best results. Fairly peaceful. | 70008000000000000008 cm (3.1 in) | |
| Three stripe damsel | Dascyllus aruanus | Yes | Easy | Highly aggressive and territorial. Will harass fish many times its size. Best kept in an aggressive/semi-aggressive tank. | 700110000000000000010 cm (3.9 in) | |
| Three Spot damsel | Stegastes planifrons | Yes | Easy | 700113000000000000013 cm (5.1 in) | ||
| Tuxedo damsel | Chrysiptera tricincta | Yes | 70006000000000000006 cm (2.4 in) | |||
| Two stripe damsel | Dascyllus reticulatus | Yes | Easy | the two stripe damsel is a very hardy fish. This fish is perfect for the beginner marine aquarist, as it can tolerate substandard water quality. This fish is highly aggressive, and requires many hiding places. | 700110000000000000010 cm (3.9 in) | |
| Yellow damsel | Amblyglyphidodon aureus | Yes | 700113000000000000013 cm (5.1 in) | |||
| Yellow threespot Dascyllus | Dascyllus auripinnis | Yes | Easy | 700114500000000000014.5 cm (5.7 in) | ||
| Yellowbelly damsel | Pomacentrus auriventris | Yes | Easy | 70005500000000000005.5 cm (2.2 in) | ||
| Yellowtail Dascyllus | Dascyllus flavicaudus | Yes | 700112000000000000012 cm (4.7 in) | |||
| Yellowtail damsel | Chrysiptera parasema | Yes | Easy | The yellowtail damsel possess an all blue body with a striking yellow tail. This damsel is a good beginner fish as it is very hardy and can tolerate substandard water quality. This damsel is also less aggressive than some other damsel species. | 70008000000000000008 cm (3.1 in) | |
| Yellowtail demoiselle | Neopomacentrus azysron | Yes | Easy | 70007500000000000007.5 cm (3.0 in) |
Read more about this topic: List Of Marine Aquarium Fish Species