All fish / Pomacentridae

Neon Damselfish

Pomacentrus coelestis

Also known as neon damsel, electric blue damsel, blue damsel, yellowtail blue damsel, yellow tail damselfish, charcoal damsel, ソラスズメダイ, 霓虹雀鲷, 蓝雀鲷

A small, hardy damselfish that is bright electric blue on the head and back, with yellow on the belly, the lower fins and the tail. It is cheap and colourful and copes with a wide range of conditions, so many keepers buy it as one of their first reef fish. It is safe with corals and invertebrates.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

7 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

Singly, or a group of 5 or more in a large tank

Diet

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

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa and the Andaman Sea to Japan, Australia and the central Pacific

Breeding

Pairs lay sticky eggs on a cleaned rock surface, and the male guards them until they hatch a few days later. Spawning happens fairly often in captivity, but the tiny pelagic larvae are hard to rear.

Good to know

Adults become territorial and can bully newer or more timid fish, so add them last or keep them with robust tankmates. Several similar blue and yellow damsels, such as Chrysiptera species, are sold under the same names.