How to Raise Damselfish

Damselfish come in an array of colors from black and white to bright yellow and sky blue. They are closely related to the clownfish but with several distinguishing features. The damselfish is easy to raise when young. As they age, though, they tend to become aggressive. The following steps will help you raise damselfish.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Prepare a tank. Damselfish can be raised in tanks ranging from 30 to 100 gallons, depending on the type of fish. The Yellowtail needs the larger tank. Set the tank temperature between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The pH level should be between 8.1 and 8.4. Add lots of light. The tank conditions are not of great concern since the damselfish will break in the aquarium for you.

2. Add coral and rocks. Artificial coral is beneficial for damselfish. Damselfish become aggressive toward each other and need hiding places to avoid confrontations.

3. Add the damselfish. Damselfish are solitary fish and prefer to be alone. Start with one damselfish. Introduce new fish slowly and always in pairs of two or more. Before adding more damselfish, rearrange the coral. Make sure there is enough room for the damselfish to hide.

4. Feed the fish flaked, frozen or live mixtures of meaty and herbivore preparations. You can also serve these combinations in tablets. There should be 2 to 3 feedings daily.

5. Breed damselfish and raise them from larvae to adulthood. Introduce a male and female. Add a clam shell for the eggs. Allow the male to become aggressive and protective once the eggs have been laid. The fry will hatch within one week.

Tips & Warnings

• Add the schooling damselfish, Chromis, to the tank if you prefer several damselfish.
• The filter will suck up the babies, so remove the fry to a filter-free tank until they have grown a little. Raise them in rotifers and do not feed them brine until after the first month.
• Damselfish rarely breed in captivity, though it is possible.
• Some damselfish in the wild reach up to 14-inches long. Damselfish fed in tanks only reach 6-inches long.
• Compatible fish to the damselfish that you can add to your aquarium are angelfish, blennies, clownfish globies, hawk fish puffers, tangs and sometimes other damselfish.