All fish / Pomacentridae

Threespot Damselfish

Stegastes planifrons

Also known as three spot damsel, threespot damsel, three-spot damselfish, yellow damsel, 3 spot damsel, 三斑雀鲷

Juveniles are bright yellow with a black spot on the back, one at the tail base and another on the dorsal fin, and adults turn a dull brownish grey. It is cheap, very hardy and copes well with the conditions in a new tank, so people often buy it as an early fish.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Keep singly

Diet

Omnivore: algae, marine flake and pellets, mysis and brine shrimp

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Central Atlantic: Florida, Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean

Breeding

Males guard a nest site on rock where the female lays sticky eggs, and the male looks after them until they hatch. Spawning in captivity happens now and then, but rearing the tiny pelagic larvae is difficult.

Good to know

Adults defend territory very aggressively and will attack much bigger fish, so add it last and avoid keeping it with shy species. The juvenile looks a lot like the yellowtail damsel and the beaugregory, which are also Stegastes species.