All fish / Pomacentridae

Blacktail Humbug Damselfish

Dascyllus melanurus

Also known as blacktail damsel, black-tailed humbug, four-stripe damselfish, fourstripe damsel, black tail humbug, humbug damsel, blacktail dascyllus, ヨスジリュウキュウスズメダイ, dakocan ekor hitam, 黑尾宅泥鱼, 四间雀

A small, deep-bodied damselfish with three black vertical bars on a white body and a black tail, which sets it apart from the similar three-stripe humbug. It is tough, cheap and easy to feed, so beginners often buy it for new marine tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

7 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

150 litres

Keep as

Singly, or as a group in a large tank

Diet

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

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia

Breeding

Pairs lay eggs on a cleaned rock or coral surface, and the male guards them until they hatch after a few days. Spawning in aquariums is fairly common, but raising the tiny larvae needs live rotifers and is difficult.

Good to know

Adults become very territorial and can bully peaceful tankmates, and once settled they are hard to catch. Do not confuse it with Dascyllus aruanus, whose tail is mostly white.