Starck's Damselfish

Care

In the wild, Starck's Damselfish may be found in small groups around rocky outcrops and deeper sections of the outer reef, feeding mainly on zooplankton in the water column. Although these pretty blue fish with their yellow dorsal blaze are considered to be less aggressive than many of the damselfish species, their assertiveness often increases with age and maturity. It is therefore advisable to keep either a single specimen, a known male-female pair, or a large sized odd-numbered shoal (9+) introduced simultaneously as juveniles into a spacious tank with plenty of hiding places amongst the rockwork. Smaller groups are often known to suffer fatalities. Choose tankmates with care, avoiding any really docile species such as cardinalfish, gobies, and firefish. Two geographical colour forms are known, the variant from the northern part of its range has a mostly yellow caudal peduncle, whilst the southern form has a blue caudal peduncle and more rounded caudal fin lobes. May also be seen on sale as Starck's Demoiselle.

Feeding

Offer a varied diet consisting of small frozen foods such as Spirulina-enriched brineshrimp, Mysis shrimp and finely chopped krill, plus marine flake food and herbivore rations. Feed small amounts 3 times per day.

Breeding

This species has not been bred in the home aquarium, but they are known to form distinct pairs in the wild when spawning. Male damselfish typically establish a territory and prepare surfaces of rubble or coral for females to deposit their adhesive, demersal eggs. Once the eggs are laid the male will quickly fertilize them and aggressively defend them from any intruders. He will also aerate the eggs until they hatch.