Four-stripe damsel
Dascyllus melanurus
Also known as Blacktail Humbug, Blacktail Dascyllus
SaltwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 3.1 in
- 8 cm
- Minimum tank
- 29 gal
- 110 L
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Social behavior
- Social
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Breeding
- Substrate spawner · Medium
- Rarity
- Very common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Pomacentridae
- Origin
- Western Pacific reefs
Overview
The four-stripe damsel is a hardy reef damsel and a good first saltwater fish. Its toughness comes with a temper, though.
Did you know
Four-stripe damsels can form a whole miniature society on a single coral head. The largest fish holds top rank, and the smallest juveniles cling to the outer branches for safety.
Caring for the four-stripe damsel
Give four-stripe damsels a rock formation with real crevices to retreat into, not just open water. A tank of at least 29 gal (110 L) suits a single fish or a small group.
Keep the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C), with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Four-stripe damsels acclimate fast and handle new-tank conditions better than almost anything else in the hobby. Offer a mix of frozen mysis or brine shrimp, flake and algae-based food.
They start out manageable as juveniles and grow more territorial with age. They chase tank mates, and sometimes members of their own group, away from a claimed patch of rock. Pick equally sturdy tank mates rather than shy species. They leave coral and invertebrates alone, so they are safe in a reef tank.
They lay their eggs on rock cleared near the home coral. The male guards the eggs until they hatch a few days later. Breeding four-stripe damsels takes a little experience.
Good to know
The four-stripe damsel, Dascyllus melanurus, is a member of the damselfish family Pomacentridae. It looks almost identical to the three-stripe damsel, but a fourth dark band runs onto its tail fin. That band is the easiest way to tell the two apart. Shops also sell it as the blacktail humbug or blacktail dascyllus.
In the wild
The four-stripe damsel is found on Western Pacific reefs, in shallow lagoons and on reef flats. Groups cluster there around a single branching Acropora or Pocillopora coral.
Common questions
What size tank does a four-stripe damsel need?
A four-stripe damsel needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a four-stripe damsel need?
A four-stripe damsel is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a four-stripe damsel eat?
A four-stripe damsel eats a mix of frozen mysis or brine shrimp, flake and algae-based food.
How big does a four-stripe damsel get?
An adult four-stripe damsel reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).
How does a four-stripe damsel breed?
Four-stripe damsels lay their eggs on rock cleared near the home coral, and the male guards them until they hatch a few days later. Breeding them takes a little experience.
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