All fish / Pomacentridae

Golden Damselfish

Amblyglyphidodon aureus

Also known as golden damsel, yellow damselfish, gold damsel, golden damselfish, yellow damsel, ニチリンスズメダイ, betok kuning, 金凹牙豆娘鱼, 金豆娘

A deep-bodied, bright golden yellow damselfish with tall, pointed fins that often show blue edging when it is young. In the wild it hangs in open water near gorgonians and steep reef slopes, picking plankton. Keepers like it because it is hardy and more colourful and less pushy than many damsels.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

11 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a pair; one per tank unless the tank is very large

Diet

Omnivore: zooplankton such as mysis and brine shrimp, quality marine flakes and pellets, plus some algae-based foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific, from the Andaman Sea and Indonesia to Fiji, north to Japan and south to Australia

Breeding

Pairs lay sticky eggs on gorgonian branches, sea whips or other exposed surfaces, and the male guards them until they hatch. Spawning has been recorded in captivity, but raising the tiny pelagic larvae is difficult and rarely done.

Good to know

Gentler than most damsels when young, but adults can become territorial towards similar yellow fish and other damsels. It reaches about 13 cm, so it needs more space than the usual small damsel.