Damselfish

112 species

Damselfish are a popular and diverse group of small marine fish that are often recommended for beginner aquarists due to their hardiness and vibrant colors. Belonging to the family Pomacentridae, damselfish are known for their territorial behavior and can be quite aggressive, especially in smaller aquariums. They are often used to cycle new tanks because of their resilience to varying water conditions.

Damselfish come in a variety of colors and patterns, making them an attractive addition to any reef or fish-only aquarium. Some of the most popular species include the Chrysiptera cyanea, the Chrysiptera parasema, and the Dascyllus aruanus. While their small size (typically 5-10 cm) makes them suitable for smaller tanks, their aggressive nature means they should be housed with other robust fish.

In terms of care, damselfish are relatively low-maintenance. They are omnivores and will accept a wide range of foods, including flake, pellet, frozen, and live foods. Providing plenty of hiding spots and territories within the tank can help mitigate their aggression. It's also important to monitor water quality closely, as damselfish, like all marine fish, are sensitive to poor water conditions.

Scientifically, damselfish are interesting due to their complex social structures and behaviors. They are known to exhibit a range of interactions, from cooperative breeding to intricate communication signals. This makes them not only a visually appealing choice for aquariums but also a fascinating subject for observation and study.

  1. Common name: Hawaiian Sergeant
    Scientific name: Abudefduf abdominalis
  2. Common name: Bengal Sergeant
    Scientific name: Abudefduf bengalensis
  3. Common name: Galapagos Sergeant Major
    Scientific name: Abudefduf conformis
  4. Common name: African Sergeant
    Scientific name: Abudefduf hoefleri
  5. Canary Damsel (Abudefduf luridus) in the sea
    Common name: Canary Damsel
    Scientific name: Abudefduf luridus
  6. Common name: Natal Sergeant
    Scientific name: Abudefduf natalensis
  7. Aquarium fish - Sergeant Major or Píntano - Abudefduf saxatilis
    Common name: Sergeant Major
    Scientific name: Abudefduf saxatilis
  8. The Scissortail Sergeant or Striptailed Damselfish, Abudefduf sexfasciatus
    Common name: Scissortail Sergeant
    Scientific name: Abudefduf sexfasciatus
  9. Common name: Blackspot Sergeant
    Scientific name: Abudefduf sordidus
  10. Common name: False-eye Sergeant
    Scientific name: Abudefduf sparoides
  11. Common name: Night Sergeant
    Scientific name: Abudefduf taurus
  12. オヤビッチャ - Indo-Pacific Sergeant (Abudefduf vaigiensis)
    Common name: Indo-Pacific Sergeant
    Scientific name: Abudefduf vaigiensis
  13. Spiny Chromis in aquarium
    Common name: Spiny Chromis
    Scientific name: Acanthochromis polyacanthus
  14. Amblyglyphidodon aureus, golden damselfish
    Common name: Golden damsel
    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon aureus
  15. Common name: Green sergeant
    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon batunai
  16. 岩場を泳ぐクラカオスズメダイ(Amblyglyphidodon curacao)
    Common name: clouded damselfish
    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon curacao
  17. Yellow-side Damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon flavilatus) closeup. Small silver fish with yellow on the side of the body.
    Common name: Yellowfin damsel
    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon flavilatus
  18. Damsel-Fish in red sea, amblyglyphidodon leucogaster
    Common name: White-belly damsel
    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon leucogaster
  19. Blackback butterflyfish (Chaetodon melannotus) near in the ocean water. School of tropical fish with black, yellow and white stripes in Red Sea, Egypt.
    Common name: Blackback Butterflyfish
    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon melanopterus
  20. Juvenile threespot damselfish and star coral, Bonaire.
    Common name: Orbicular damsel
    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon orbicularis
  21. Closeup of Ternate damselfish on background of hairy mushroom corals, Amblyglyphidodon ternatensis
    Common name: Ternate damsel
    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon ternatensis
  22. Amblypomacentrus breviceps fish near sea bottom
    Common name: Black-banded demoiselle
    Scientific name: Amblypomacentrus breviceps
  23. Common name: Yellowspot damselfish
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera biocellata
  24. ヒリゾ浜の美しいミヤコキセンスズメダイ(スズメダイ科)の幼魚。

静岡県伊豆半島賀茂郡南伊豆町中木から渡し船で渡るヒリゾ浜にて。
2023年9月30日水中撮影。

The Beautiful Surge Damselfish juvenile.

HIRIZO Beach, Nakagi, South IZU, Kamo-gun, Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka, Japan,
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    Common name: Blueribbon damsel
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera brownriggii
  25. Yellowfin demoiselle, Chrysiptera flavipinnis, Raja Ampat Indonesia
    Common name: Blueline demoiselle
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera caeruleolineata
  26. Blue Devil or Blue Damselfish (Chrysiptera cyanea) male
    Common name: Blue Devil
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera cyanea
  27. Fish. Chrysiptera hemicyanea. Colourful fish in an aquarium
    Common name: Yellow-dipped damsel
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera hemicyanea
  28. Yellowtail Damselfish, Chrysiptera parasema
    Common name: Goldtail demoiselle
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera parasema
  29. Common name: Pink demoiselle
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera rex
  30. Rolland's Damselfish, Chrysiptera rollandi, also known as Black Cap Damselfish. This variety and coloring is from Vanuatu
    Common name: Rolland's demoiselle
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera rollandi
  31. Common name: Sinclair's demoisselle
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera sinclairi
  32. Purple neon damselfish Chrysiptera springeri
    Common name: Springer's demoiselle
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera springeri
  33. Starcki Damsel (Chrysiptera starcki) in Japan
    Common name: Starcki Damsel
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera starcki
  34. Talbot's Damselfish (Chrysiptera talboti) swimming in marine aquarium
    Common name: Talbot's demoiselle
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera talboti
  35. Southseas Devil (Chrysiptera taupou)
    Common name: Southseas Devil
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera taupou
  36. one spot demoiselle (chrysiptera unimaculata)
    Common name: Onespot demoiselle
    Scientific name: Chrysiptera unimaculata
  37. Hawaiian Dascyllus, Hawaii, USA
    Common name: Hawaiian dascyllus
    Scientific name: Dascyllus albisella
  38. Humbug dascyllus
    Common name: Humbug dascyllus
    Scientific name: Dascyllus aruanus
  39. Cloudy dascyllus fish and Whitetail dascyllus fish
    Common name: Cloudy damsel
    Scientific name: Dascyllus carneus
  40. Grey Humbug (Dascyllus marginatus) floats above sea grass, Red Sea, Dahab, Egypt, Africa
    Common name: grey humbug
    Scientific name: Dascyllus marginatus
  41. Blacktail dascyllus (Dascyllus melanurus) marine tropical fish
    Common name: blacktailed humbug
    Scientific name: Dascyllus melanurus
  42. Two-stripe Damsel (Dascyllus reticulatus) on a Coral. Moalboal, Philippines
    Common name: Reticulated dascyllus
    Scientific name: Dascyllus reticulatus
  43. 海の中の赤いサンゴイソギンチャクとクマノミとミツボシクロスズメダイ
    Common name: domino damsel
    Scientific name: Dascyllus trimaculatus
  44. Black-vent damsel, Dischistodus melanotus
    Common name: Black-vent damsel
    Scientific name: Dischistodus melanotus
  45. Coral fish White damsel
    Common name: White damsel
    Scientific name: Dischistodus perspicillatus
  46. Common name: Honey-head damsel
    Scientific name: Dischistodus prosopotaenia
  47. Common name: Monarch damsel
    Scientific name: Dischistodus pseudochrysopoecilus
  48. Common name: Garibaldi damselfish
    Scientific name: Hypsypops rubicundus
  49. Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) and golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus), Raja Ampat, West Papua
    Common name: Bumphead damselfish
    Scientific name: Microspathodon bairdii
  50. Juvenile yellowtail damselfish
    Common name: turquoise-spotted demoiselle
    Scientific name: Microspathodon chrysurus
  51. Giant Damselfish (Microspathodon dorsalis) Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.
    Common name: Giant damselfish
    Scientific name: Microspathodon dorsalis
  52. Clown anemonefish (Amphiprion percula)
    Common name: Guinean damselfish
    Scientific name: Microspathodon frontatus
  53. Cross damsel, Neoglyphidodon crossi, Sulawesi Indonesia.
    Common name: Cross' damsel
    Scientific name: Neoglyphidodon crossi
  54. neoglyphidodon melas kapoposang indonesia diver scuba
    Common name: black damselfish
    Scientific name: Neoglyphidodon melas
  55. Black-and-Gold Chromis (Neoglyphidodon nigroris)
    Common name: Black-and-Gold Chromis
    Scientific name: Neoglyphidodon nigroris
  56. Common name: Java damsel
    Scientific name: Neoglyphidodon oxyodon
  57. Common name: Multispine damselfish
    Scientific name: Neoglyphidodon polyacanthus
  58. Common name: Anabatoid damselfish
    Scientific name: Neopomacentrus anabatoides
  59. Yellowtail damselfish swimming on reef
    Common name: Yellowtail demoiselle
    Scientific name: Neopomacentrus azysron
  60. Chinese demoiselle Neopomacentrus bankieri
    Common name: Chinese demoiselle
    Scientific name: Neopomacentrus bankieri
  61. クロリボンスズメダイの成魚
    Common name: Regal demoiselle
    Scientific name: Neopomacentrus cyanomos
  62. macro fish neopomacentrus filamentosus Monodactylidae
    Common name: Long-lobed damsel
    Scientific name: Neopomacentrus filamentosus
  63. Miry's Demoiselle (Neopomacentrus miryae) in the Red Sea, Egypt
    Common name: Miry's demoiselle
    Scientific name: Neopomacentrus miryae
  64. Common name: Violet demoiselle
    Scientific name: Neopomacentrus violascens
  65. Grey Humbug (Dascyllus marginatus) floats above sea grass, Red Sea, Dahab, Egypt, Africa
    Common name: Red Sea demoiselle
    Scientific name: Neopomacentrus xanthurus
  66. Common name: blackbar devil
    Scientific name: Plectroglyphidodon dickii
  67. Common name: stop-start damsel
    Scientific name: Plectroglyphidodon imparipennis
  68. Common name: Johnston Island damsel
    Scientific name: Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus
  69. Jewel damsel, Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus, Raja Ampat Indonesia
    Common name: whitespeckled demoiselle
    Scientific name: Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus
  70. ハクセンスズメダイの幼魚
    Common name: Singlebar devil
    Scientific name: Plectroglyphidodon leucozonus
  71. Common name: Phoenix devil
    Scientific name: Plectroglyphidodon phoenixensis
  72. Common name: Whitefin damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus albicaudatus
  73. Common name: Alexander's damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus alexanderae
  74. The Andaman damsel (Pomacentrus alleni).
    Common name: Blue star
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus alleni
  75. Coral reef with fish. Ambon Damsel fish, Pomacentrus amboinensis. A fish swims over the coral underwater.
    Common name: Ambon damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus amboinensis
  76. Dark damsel
    Common name: Dark damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus aquilus
  77. Arabian Damsels (Pomacentrus arabicus) in the Red Sea, Egypt
    Common name: Arabian damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus arabicus
  78. Common name: Yellowhead damselfish
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus aurifrons
  79. Goldbelly damsel, Pomacentrus auriventris, Raja Ampat Indonesia
    Common name: Goldbelly damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus auriventris
  80. Speckled Damselfish
    Common name: Speckled Damselfish
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus bankanensis
  81. Caerulean Damsel, Pomacentrus caeruleus, swimming around a little coral in the sea bottom
    Common name: Yellow bellied damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus caeruleus
  82. Blue Green Chromis, Chromis viridis, a popular and peaceful aquarium fish from the Indo-Pacific Oceans
    Common name: Blue-green Damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus callainus
  83. Whitetail Dascyllus (Dascyllus aruanus, aka Humbug Damselfish, Three Stripe Damsel). Triton Bay, West Papua, Indonesia
    Common name: Whitetail damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus chrysurus
  84. NEON DAMSELFISH pomacentrus coelestis
    Common name: Neon damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus coelestis
  85. Common name: Colin's damselfish
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus colini
  86. juvenile wedgespot damsel damselfish
    Common name: Wedgespot damselfish
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus cuneatus
  87. Common name: Outer-reef damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus emarginatus
  88. Common name: Imitator damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus imitator
  89. Scaly damsel in Siquijor
    Common name: Scaly damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus lepidogenys
  90. Common name: Slender damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus leptus
  91. Lemon Damselfish (Pomacentrus moluccensis)
    Common name: Lemon Damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus moluccensis
  92. Blue Scribbled Damsel Pomacentrus nagasakiensis
    Common name: Nagasaki damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus nagasakiensis
  93. Blue damsel, Pomacentrus pavo, Kosrae Micronesia.
    Common name: Mamo
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus pavo
  94. Blue starfish and rich tropical coral reef with swimming fish. Scuba diving in the shallow tropical sea with marine wildlife. Blue ocean, coral reef, sea star  and fish.
    Common name: Philippine damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus philippinus
  95. Common name: Reid's damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus reidi
  96. Batavia Damsel (Pomacentrus simsiang)
    Common name: Blueback damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus simsiang
  97. Sulphur damsel ( Pomacentrus sulfureus) Taken in Red Sea, Egypt.
    Common name: Sulfur damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus sulfureus
  98. A juvenile Pailtail Damsel (Pomacentrus trichrourus) in the Red Sea, Egypt
    Common name: Yellowtail damsel
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus trichrourus
  99. juvenile threespot damsel fish
    Common name: Three-spot damsel-fish
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus tripunctatus
  100. Princess Damsel (Pomacentrus vaiuli), aka Ocellate Damsel. Triton Bay, West Papua, Indonesia
    Common name: ocellate damselfish
    Scientific name: Pomacentrus vaiuli
  101. Coral reef of Maldives - Acropora Nobilis and Stegastes Adustus
    Common name: Dusky damselfish
    Scientific name: Stegastes adustus
  102. Common name: Golden gregory
    Scientific name: Stegastes aureus
  103. yellow and blue fish in the caribbean
    Common name: longfin damselfish
    Scientific name: Stegastes diencaeus
  104. Common name: Dark damsel
    Scientific name: Stegastes fasciolatus
  105. Beaubrummel
    Common name: Beaubrummel
    Scientific name: Stegastes flavilatus
  106. Cinnamon clownfish, red and black anemonefish, black-backed anemonefish or dusky anemonefish (Amphiprion melanopus), South China Sea, Pulau Redang Island, Malaysia, Asia
    Common name: Dusky damselfish
    Scientific name: Stegastes fuscus
  107. BeauGregory
    Common name: beaugregory
    Scientific name: Stegastes leucostictus
  108. Dusky gregory fish  - Stegastes nigricans, Red sea
    Common name: Mamo
    Scientific name: Stegastes nigricans
  109. Common name: Western gregory
    Scientific name: Stegastes obreptus
  110. Bicolor Damselfish swimming on reef
    Common name: Bicolor Damselfish
    Scientific name: Stegastes partitus
  111. Fish Threespot damselfish Stegastes planifrons
    Common name: yellow damselfish
    Scientific name: Stegastes planifrons
  112. Stegastes variabilis
    Common name: yellow demoiselle
    Scientific name: Stegastes variabilis