3 New Aquacultured Chrysiptera Damsels Now Available

Quality Marine is on a roll!

On the heels of receiving the rare Anampses lennardi wrasse, Quality Marine has received three new aquacultured species of damsels for the first time!

Small and active, these fish provide a splash of color in any aquarium. Personalities can vary with some being rather territorial and aggressive, while others are peaceful tankmates.

Chrysiptera hemicyanea

The Azure Damsel (Chrysiptera hemicyanea) (pictured above) has a large wild range; found from the Indo-West Pacific to the eastern Indian Ocean. They are a two-tone damsel of bright blue body with yellow anal and caudal fins. In the wild, adults can easily be found in lagoons and near shore reefs. Their availability close to shore reefs makes their collection less laborious and keeps travel time to a minimum. This has has helped keep their prices down.

Chrysiptera talboti

The Talbot Damsel (Chrysiptera talboti) has become very popular due to their unique coloration and small adult size. This species distribution ranges all over the Western Pacific, and was recently recorded in Tonga. The Talbot Damsel’s body ranges from a pink color to a deep purple/blue color with a canary yellow head, which makes them stand out against other damsels. Adults are found in coral rich areas of reef slopes and lagoons.

Chrysiptera rollandi

The Black Cap Damsel (Chrysiptera rollandi) ranges from the Eastern Indian Ocean to the Western Pacific Ocean and has recently been recorded in Tonga like the Talbot Damsel. Adults can be found singly or in small groups among coral in lagoons and outer reefs. This beautiful fish is yellow, black and white in coloration.

Damsels have long been considered a perfect fish for the beginner hobbyists for their hardiness, good looks, and small aquarium size demands. Perhaps the most popular damselfishes are Clownfishes. These fishes are found in abundance in the wild, however sourcing aquacultured specimens can be a challenge.

Care Requirements

Species in the Chrysiptera genus are hardy, active, don't  hide much, don't need much space and are generally very easy to care for, making them ideal for just about any aquarium with suitable tank mates. Like most damsels, Chrysiptera species can be territorial, so we recommend keeping only one Chrysiptera genus damsel per aquarium (unless you have a large aquarium) unlike Dascyllus and Pomacentrus species, which can be added in small groups.

For the hobbyist who is looking to add just one damselfish to their aquarium, these characteristics make this a great choice. Add live rock or other structures for them to hide in and create territories. They will readily take prepared diets, so for continued health provide a varied diet of frozen meaty foods, marine flake and pellets.

Quality Marine aims to continually expand their aquacultured availability of species. They focus their efforts on initiatives that are the most environmentally significant.

Do you already have damsels in your tank? What has been your experience? Let us know in the comments below!