All fish / Pomacentridae

Yellowtail Damselfish

Chrysiptera parasema

Also known as yellowtail blue damsel, yellow tail damsel, goldtail demoiselle, yellowtail blue damselfish, parasema damsel, yellow-tail damsel, シリキルリスズメダイ, betok ekor kuning, 黄尾雀鲷, 黄尾蓝魔鬼

A small, bright electric-blue damselfish with a vivid yellow tail and rear fins. It is hardy, colourful and one of the more reef-safe and mild damsels, so it suits beginners and nano reef setups.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

6 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

Singly, or a small group in a larger tank

Diet

Omnivore: marine flakes and pellets, frozen mysis and brine shrimp, algae-based foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Ryukyu Islands

Breeding

Pairs lay sticky eggs on rock or hard surfaces and the male guards them until they hatch. Spawning happens in aquariums fairly often, but rearing the tiny pelagic larvae needs live rotifers and is challenging.

Good to know

Less aggressive than most damsels but still territorial with its own kind and similar blue fish as it matures. Do not confuse with the Azure Damselfish (Chrysiptera hemicyanea), which has more yellow on the belly.