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
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Very common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Pomacentridae
- Origin
- Western Pacific reefs
Overview
Four-Stripe Damsels are hardy, fast-acclimating fish that handle new-tank conditions better than almost anything else in the hobby, but that toughness comes with a temper. They start out manageable as juveniles and get progressively more territorial with age, chasing tankmates, and sometimes their own group members, away from a claimed patch of rock. They leave coral and invertebrates alone and are a safe reef fish on that front, but they do best with equally sturdy tankmates rather than shy species. Offer a mix of frozen mysis or brine shrimp, flake, and algae-based food.
In the wild
Found on Western Pacific reefs, where groups cluster around a single branching Acropora or Pocillopora coral in shallow lagoons and reef flats. It needs the same setup in the aquarium: a rock formation with real crevices to retreat into rather than just open water. A 110 liter (30 gallon) tank suits a single fish or a small group.
Good to know
Dascyllus melanurus looks almost identical to the Three-Stripe Damsel but carries a fourth dark band that runs onto the tail fin, which is the easiest way to tell the two apart. It lives in the same kind of size-structured group as its relatives, with one dominant individual and a hierarchy of smaller fish sharing the coral head. Eggs are laid on rock cleared near the home coral and guarded by the male until they hatch a few days later.
Did you know
A single coral head can host a whole miniature society of Four-Stripe Damsels, with the largest fish holding top rank and the smallest juveniles clinging to the outer branches for safety.
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.
How big does a Four-stripe damsel get?
An adult Four-stripe damsel reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).
Related species
3.5 in (9 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Three-stripe damsel
Dascyllus aruanus
3.5 in (9 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
5.5 in (14 cm)55 gal (210 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Domino damsel
Dascyllus trimaculatus
5.5 in (14 cm) · 55 gal (210 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Blue damsel
Chrysiptera cyanea
3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Fiji blue devil damsel
Chrysiptera taupou
3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.5 in (9 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Neon damselfish
Pomacentrus coelestis
3.5 in (9 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Green chromis
Chromis viridis
3.1 in (8 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)