All fish / Pomacentridae

Rolland's demoiselle

Chrysiptera rollandi

Also known as rolland's damselfish, rolland's damsel, rollandi damsel, whitebelly damsel, white-belly damselfish, rolland damsel, ブラックアンドゴールドクロミス, 罗氏刻齿雀鲷, 罗兰雀鲷

A small damselfish with a dark blue-grey front half, a pale yellow to white rear and tail, and a bright blue edge on the head and fins. It is one of the calmest damsels, so it suits reef tanks and smaller marine set-ups where a hardy, colourful fish is wanted.

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

75 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a pair; groups only in larger tanks

Diet

Omnivore: zooplankton, mysis and brine shrimp, marine pellets and flakes, some algae-based food

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Andaman Sea and Thailand to Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, northern Australia and New Caledonia

Breeding

Pairs lay demersal eggs on rock or another hard surface, and the male guards them until they hatch. Spawning happens in aquariums, but rearing the tiny pelagic larvae needs live rotifers and copepods and is fairly difficult.

Good to know

Gentler than most damsels but it can still defend a territory against small newcomers, so add it after more timid fish. It is reef safe and leaves corals and invertebrates alone.