Yellowtail Demoiselle

Care at a glance

Overview

A mild, busy damsel that does best in a small group in open water, where constant motion takes the place of squabbling. It takes flake, small pellets, and frozen mysis and brine eagerly, and several small feedings suit its plankton-picking habits. It is reef safe, and conspecific bickering only becomes a problem when a group is crowded into too small a tank.

In the wild

Schools along current-swept drop-offs, channels, and outer reef slopes across the Indo-West Pacific, feeding on zooplankton in the upper water. It hangs in loose aggregations rather than defending patches of rock. The aquarium version wants open swimming space, steady flow, and rockwork to retreat into at night.

Good to know

Neopomacentrus azysron was described by Bleeker in 1877 and reaches about 7.5 cm, a good part of it tail. The deeply forked yellow tail extends into filaments that give the genus its lyretail look. It is a demersal spawner like other damselfish, with males guarding eggs laid on cleaned rock.

Did you know

Unlike the territorial damsels that give the family its reputation, this species lives more like an anthias, riding currents in midwater groups and rarely bothering anyone.

Common questions

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