Damsel Care Guides

Get off on the right foot with our care guides...

Spotlight

European Vacation - A look at some reef aquariums from the other side of the pond. Here author, photographer, and all around awesome guy, Scott Michael, recounts a trip to Europe in 2005 highlighting his trip were several great reef tanks.

Download Catalog

Save some trees and get it here!

Carib C-Notes

Be the first to submit an article or video related to our industry (aquariums, reptiles, small mammals, etc) or anything we produce, if we use yours you get a $100 Gift Certificate to a pet store of your choice! The story can be nearly anything, a story about a collecting adventure, a trip to the local fish store, a cool tip you discovered...

Abudefduf saxatilis - Sergeant Major

Maximum Length

5.9 in. (15.0 cm)

Minimum Aquarium Size

55 gal. (208 L)

Range

Tropical Atlantic.

Habitat

Reef.

Foods and Feeding

Feed meaty and vegetable foods at least twice a day.

Captive Care

As juveniles, Sergeant Majors can be kept in groups in the larger aquarium, but as they grow they may become intolerant of one another. Their level of antagonism also increases toward other fish tankmates as it matures. Therefore, it is best to house them with fishes with like character flaws (i.e., other moderately hostile species). This may include dottybacks, hawkfishes, larger angels, surgeonfishes, and some of the less belligerent triggerfishes (more pugnacious forms may dispatch this damsel). While it is usually well-behaved in a reef tank, it has been known to feed on zoanthids on rare occasions (this is more likely if underfed).

This species is a good display fish because it spends much of its time dashing about in the water column. It will also ingest algae and small, benthic crustaceans off the aquarium substrate.