All fish / Pomacentridae

Black Damselfish

Neoglyphidodon melas

Also known as black damsel, bowtie damsel, royal damsel, blue and gold damsel, yellow-tail black damsel, juvenile black damsel, melas damsel, クロスズメダイ, betok hitam, 黑雀鲷, 黑新箭齿雀鲷

Juveniles look striking, with a pale blue-white body, yellow edges to the fins and electric blue edges on the pelvic and anal fins. As adults they turn solid black. People buy them for the bright juvenile colours and because they are very hardy.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

Keep singly

Diet

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

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Vanuatu, north to Japan, south to Australia

Breeding

They lay eggs on a cleaned hard surface and the male guards them until they hatch. Spawning has been recorded in captivity, but raising the tiny pelagic larvae is difficult and seldom done.

Good to know

Adults grow large, turn plain black and can become very territorial and aggressive, so choose tankmates carefully. In the wild they feed on soft corals, so they may nip at soft corals in a reef tank.