Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Pomacentrus

Pomacentrus nagasakiensis

Tanaka, 1917

Nagasaki Damsel, Blue-scribbled Damsel

Likely Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Maldives and Sri Lanka to Vanuatu, north to Southern Japan, south to northwestern Australia and New Caledonia.

Size: 4 inches (11 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits sandy areas in lagoons and on seaward reef at depths between 3 to about 100 feet (1– 30 m) and mainly feeds on filamentous algae and somewhat on zooplankton.

General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade, with adults having a bluish black body and fins, with the juveniles also dark blue, but having a dark blue eyespot edged in bright blue on the lower aft dorsal fin.

Best maintained in aquaria having live rock with growths of various forms of algae and having hiding places, as it quite shy.

Somewhat shy, and needs hiding places.

As to diet, plant material (its main food in the wild), e.g., flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina and Nori, along with most regular aquarium foods, e.g., live fortified brine shrimp and/or finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc., should be offered once or twice daily.

Taxonomy:

    Order: Perciformes

    Suborder: Labroidei

    Family: Pomacentridae

    Subfamily: Pomacentrinae

    Genus: Pomacentrus

FYI: In small aquariums, will annoy peaceful tankmates.

Experience Level: Beginner

Temperament: Semi-aggressive

Diet: Omnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons

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

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5

 Pomacentrus nagasakiensis (Nagasaki Damsel, Blue-scribbled Damsel)
Photo © David Cook
Site Supported in Part by:
Eco Tech Marine