Starck’s Demoiselle
From Microcosm Aquarium Explorer
An ideal damselfish; attractive and a good reef aquarium fish. Scott W. Michael
Overview
This is highly desirable aquarium fish. It is an excellent choice for the reef aquarium and will maintain its amazing colors if fed a nutritious diet. This species may appear somewhat pale in shallow-water reef tanks with intense lighting.
Family: Pomacentridae
Other common name(s):
Native range:
- Ryukyu Islands
- Taiwan
- Queensland, Australia
- New Caledonia
- Tonga
Habitat: Inhabits rocky outcrops and crevices that are frequently situated in sand channels on outer reef slopes. Common in deeper sections of the outer reef about 20 to 60 m in depth.
Maximum length: 10 cm (4 in)
Minimum aquarium size: 76 L (20 gal)
Water: Marine 24 °C (75 °F) - 28 °C (82 °F)
Feeding
Meaty foods, including finely shredded frozen seafood, mysid shrimp, frozen preparations, pigment-enriched flake food, and Cyclop-eeze. Feed twice a day.
Aquarium Compatibility
It tends to be quite peaceable for a damselfish, with young and adolescent individuals rarely causing problems in captivity. However, as it grows larger, it may become more pugnacious, especially toward small, more passive tankmates. Chrysiptera starcki is likely to chastise some of its less aggressive congeners.
Notes
It was once rarely available and thus very expensive, but with more collecting efforts in the Coral Sea, the price has come down.