Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: southern Florida and the Caribbean; Eastern Atlantic Ocean: Cape Verde and from Senegal to Angola.
Size: 10 inches (25 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow inshore rocky reefs at depths between 3 to about 15 feet (1 – 5 m) and feeds on algae, benthic invertebrates and occasionally soft corals (zoanthids).
General Husbandry: Not purposely collected for the trade. Quite drab, having a yellowish body with five vertical black bands.
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: Highly territorial.
Unsuitable for home aquariums.
Shown here for identification.
Experience Level: Professional
Temperament: Feisty/belligerent
Diet: Omnivore
Coral Safe: With caution
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 150 gallons
Temperature Range: 74 - 84°F (23 – 28°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5