Stegastes planifrons

(Cuvier, 1830)

Threespot Damselfish

Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: Southern Florida, Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda, and south to Brazil.

Size: 5 inches (12 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits inshore and offshore coral reefs at depths between 3 to about 100 feet (1– 30 m) where juveniles feed on zooplankton, and adults mainly feed on filamentous algae and somewhat on zooplankton.

General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade because its quite aggressive. Somewhat drab as an adult, which has a brownish grey body, with juveniles, which are quite attractive, a bright yellow with a black patch on the upper mid body, a small black spot on the upper caudal peduncle and a black spot at the base of the pectoral fin.

Best maintained in aquaria having live rock with growths of various forms of algae, hiding places, and aggressive tankmates, e.g., dottybacks, hawkfishes, large wrasses, large angelfishes and surgeonfishes, and triggerfishes.

As to diet, plant material (adults main food in the wild), e.g., flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina and Nori, combined 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., which would be mainly for juveniles, should be offered once or twice daily.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Labroidei

Family: Pomacentridae

Subfamily: Pomacentrinae

Genus: Stegastes

FYI: One per aquarium, and only add this species after all other aggressive tankmates have been added to the aquarium. Should be last fish to enter the aquarium.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Aggressive

Diet: Omnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 84°F (22 – 28°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5