Abudefduf sparoides

(Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)

False-eye Sergeant

Range: Western Indian Ocean: Kenya to South Africa, also Mauritius, Reunion, and Madagascar.

Size: 6 inches (16 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits coral rich rocky reefs with juveniles inhabiting shallow lagoons and flat bottom areas and adults found higher up in the coral and rocky reefs where good surge zones exist at depths between 3 to about 20 feet (1 – 6 m) and feeds on algae and benthic invertebrates.

General Husbandry: Not purposely collected for the trade. Quite drab, having a silvery/greenish body with a black spot on the middle of the caudal peduncle.

Would be best housed with dottybacks, large angelfishes and surgeonfishes, and triggerfishes.

As to diet, similar to other species in this genus - 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, etc., and plant material, e.g., flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina and be offered several times daily.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Labroidei

Family: Pomacentridae

Subfamily: Pomacentrinae

Genus: Abudefduf

FYI: Best maintained in small groups.

Shown here for identification purposes.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Feisty/belligerent

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: 100 gallons

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

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5