Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Plectroglyphidodon

Plectroglyphidodon dickii

(Lienard, 1839)

Blackbar Devil, Dick’s Damsel

Not Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: East Africa east to the Line, Marquesas, and Tuamotu Islands, north to Japan, and south to Lord Howe Island.

Size: 4 inches (10 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoon reefs, reef channels, and reef faces at depths between 3 to about 50 feet (1 – 15 m) and feeds on stony coral polyps, sea anemones, crustaceans, small fishes, hydroids, and filamentous algae.

General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade. Juveniles having a whitish body with a black vertical band on the rear body, with the adult having a yellowish tan body with the same positioned black band, and sometimes seen with a yellowish tail.

Should be housed with very aggressive tankmates, e.g., dottybacks, hawkfishes, large wrasses, large angelfishes and surgeonfishes, and triggerfishes.

As to diet, a meaty diet, e.g., live fortified brine shrimp and/or finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam and plant material, e.g., flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina should be offered several times daily.

Taxonomy:

    Order: Perciformes

    Suborder: Labroidei

    Family: Pomacentridae

    Subfamily: Pomacentrinae

    Genus: Plectroglyphidodon

FYI: Not suitable for reef aquariums.

Will pester/annoy peaceful species.

Easy to keep well fed, yet problematic as to tankmates!

Must have aggressive tankmates.

One per aquarium.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Feisty/belligerent

Diet: Omnivore

Coral Safe: No

Invertebrate Safe: No

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons

Temperature Range: 74 - 84°F (23 – 28°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5

 Plectroglyphidodon dickii (Blackbar Devil, Dick’s Damsel)
Photo © Robert Patzner
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