Domino Damsel

Care at a glance

Overview

Domino Damsels are famously tough as juveniles, shrugging off water conditions that would stress most other fish, but they turn genuinely pushy as they grow. A full-grown Domino will claim a territory and challenge fish several times its size, so it belongs with equally confident tankmates rather than shy or slow-moving species. It will not eat coral, but it can nip at soft corals and pick at small ornamental shrimp while foraging, so reef keepers should keep an eye on it around delicate invertebrates. Feed a varied diet of frozen mysis and brine shrimp, meaty foods, and some algae or flake to keep it in good condition.

In the wild

Ranges across the Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea to French Polynesia, and juveniles are known for sheltering inside the tentacles of large sea anemones, sometimes alongside clownfish. Adults leave the anemone behind and move onto open reef and rubble to patrol a territory. This species grows larger and claims more space than most other Dascyllus, so give it a tank of at least 210 liters (55 gallons).

Good to know

Juvenile Domino Damsels are one of the best-known sea anemone associates outside the clownfish subfamily, protected from stings by a mucus coating similar to what clownfish use. The three white spots that give the fish its name fade with age, and adults darken to a solid blackish brown. Breeding follows the usual damsel pattern, with the male guarding demersal eggs laid on cleared rock until they hatch. In captivity, with good care, this species can live up to 20 years, well beyond the typical wild lifespan.

Did you know

A well-kept Domino Damsel can live 20 years or more in an aquarium, making it one of the longest-lived fish in the entire damselfish family.

Related species

• 

  Three-Stripe Damsel

  Dascyllus aruanus

  3.5 in (9 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Four-Stripe Damsel

  Dascyllus melanurus

  3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Blue Velvet Damsel

  Neoglyphidodon oxyodon

  5.9 in (15 cm)55 gal (210 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Maroon Clownfish

  Premnas biaculeatus

  6.7 in (17 cm)40 gal (150 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Clark's Clownfish

  Amphiprion clarkii

  5.5 in (14 cm)30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Orange Skunk Clownfish

  Amphiprion sandaracinos

  5.5 in (14 cm)30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)