Yellowtail Damselfish care guide
Yellowtail Damselfish (Chrysiptera parasema) — minimum tank 100 L, temperature 24-28 °C, pH 8-8.4.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
The Yellowtail Damselfish (Chrysiptera parasema) is a small Indo-Pacific damselfish with a deep electric-blue body and bright lemon-yellow tail. It is one of the most peaceful members of its family and is among the standard hardy beginner marines.
Taxonomy
- Family: Pomacentridae
- Genus: Chrysiptera
- Scientific name: Chrysiptera parasema
Habitat
Occurs on coral-rich slopes and lagoon reefs of the western Pacific, from the Philippines and Indonesia to the Solomon Islands, typically at depths of 1-16 metres among branching Acropora corals where small groups shelter close to the substrate.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L (26.4 US gal)
- Adult size: 5-7 cm
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 8-8.4
- GH: 8-12 °dGH
- Water flow: moderate
- Lifespan: 5-8 years
- Salinity: SG 1.024-1.026
- Carbonate hardness (dKH): 8-12
Diet
A planktivore and omnivore in the wild, picking zooplankton from the current and grazing on algae. In aquaria it accepts marine flake, micro-pellets, frozen mysis and brine shrimp; offer multiple small feedings per day.
Compatibility
Unusually peaceful for a damselfish but still mildly territorial; can be kept in small groups of three or more added simultaneously to a tank with abundant rockwork. Compatible with clownfish, Royal Gramma, Banggai Cardinalfish, gobies and small wrasses.
Reef compatibility
Reef-safe. Does not nip corals or sessile invertebrates and is among the few damselfish recommended for mixed reef systems.
Breeding
A demersal egg-layer. Males prepare and guard a small substrate nest where the female deposits adhesive eggs; the male tends the clutch through hatching, which produces pelagic larvae. Captive rearing is uncommon.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. The species is common throughout its range and widely collected for the aquarium trade with no documented population decline.
Yellowtail Damselfish Breeding Guide
Overview
Chrysiptera parasema is among the more breedable marine fishes because it is a demersal spawner: the adhesive eggs are attached to a hard surface and guarded by the male, much as in clownfish and cichlids. Spawning in the home aquarium is reportedly easy to achieve, but raising the larvae through metamorphosis remains the difficult part, which keeps aquacultured stock scarce.
Sexing
The sexes are hard to tell apart. Mature males tend to be larger and more slender, become more aggressive and territorial as spawning approaches, and guard the brood, while females often take on a rounder belly when full of eggs.
Conditioning
Spawning is most reliable when the pair is conditioned on a high-calorie, whole-food diet, including live blackworms, live or frozen mysis and brine shrimp, and prepared seafood blends, to fuel the energy demands of repeated spawning.
Breeding Setup
A male needs a defended nest site such as live rock, decor or tank glass to which eggs can adhere, kept at typical reef parameters (around 24-28 C, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity near 1.025 specific gravity). Forming a compatible pair can involve aggression, so the fish must be watched as they pair up.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Females inspect a male and his territory and choose a mate based on his size and the number of eggs already present, sometimes showing a light ring around the eyes during courtship displays. Once established, a pair may spawn roughly every 10 days, with the female laying on the order of 300 eggs that the male then guards and aerates.
Egg & Fry Care
The male tends the demersal eggs, which hatch in about 4-5 days depending on temperature (reported as within roughly 96 hours, a few hours after lights-out). The pelagic larval phase can last anywhere from about 10 to 50 days. Because the eggs and larvae are very small and tank predators such as brittle stars, serpent stars, wrasses and crabs will eat them, larvae are best moved to a dedicated rearing tank.
Common Challenges
While spawning is comparatively easy, carrying the larvae through metamorphosis is not, and home rearing to adulthood is rarely accomplished. The tiny first-feeding larvae and their long pelagic phase, combined with the species' low commercial value, explain why captive-raised yellowtail damsels remain uncommon.