TankBud

Allen's damsel

Pomacentrus alleni

Also known as Andaman Damsel, Neon Damsel

SaltwaterFish

Allen's damsel (Pomacentrus alleni)
Gerald R. Allen · CC BY 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
2.4 in
6 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Substrate spawner · Medium
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Pomacentridae
Origin
Eastern Indian Ocean reefs

Overview

Allen's damsel is a small Pomacentrus damsel and a solid choice for a reef community tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

Its electric blue body and bright yellow belly make Allen's damsel one of the more strikingly colored small damsels. It keeps that look for life instead of fading with age like many of its relatives.

Caring for the Allen's damsel

Allen's damsel retreats quickly when startled, so give it dense live rock with small crevices. A tank of 29 gal (110 L) works well for one fish, and keeping several together needs more room. Aim for 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Feed small meaty foods such as mysis and brine shrimp, along with marine pellets and some algae-based food.

It has a gentler reputation than most of its relatives, often described as shy or skittish rather than pushy. It can still stake out a favorite rock and turn territorial toward its own kind or similar-sized fish, especially in a smaller tank. It rarely bothers slower or more docile tank mates, and it leaves coral and sessile invertebrates alone. It does best in a small group, with enough rockwork for each fish to claim a corner.

The male clears a nest site and courts a female to lay adhesive eggs there. He then guards and fans the clutch alone until it hatches. Breeding Allen's damsel is moderately difficult.

Good to know

Allen's damsel, Pomacentrus alleni, belongs to the damselfish family Pomacentridae. It is named for the ichthyologist Gerald Allen, who described hundreds of Indo-Pacific reef fish over his career. Small numbers have been reared by commercial marine fish farms, though most in the trade are still wild-caught.

In the wild

Allen's damsel is native to a fairly narrow stretch of the eastern Indian Ocean, around the Andaman Sea and Thailand. It has also been recorded from Indonesia. It shelters among branching coral and rocky reef.

Common questions

What size tank does an Allen's damsel need?

An Allen's damsel needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an Allen's damsel need?

An Allen's damsel is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does an Allen's damsel eat?

Allen's damsel eats small meaty foods such as mysis and brine shrimp. Add marine pellets and some algae-based food as well.

How big does an Allen's damsel get?

An adult Allen's damsel reaches about 2.4 in (6 cm).

How does an Allen's damsel breed?

Allen's damsel males clear a nest site and court a female to lay adhesive eggs there. The male guards and fans the clutch alone until it hatches. Breeding them is moderately difficult.

Related species