Neoglyphidodon polyacanthus

(Ogilby, 1889)

Multispine Damselfish

Range: Western Pacific Ocean: Australia (southern Great Barrier Reef, Lord Howe Island) and New Caledonia.

Size: 6 inches (15 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits rocky and coral reefs, and reef channels at depths between 3 to about 100 feet (1 – 30 m) and feeds on algae and benthic invertebrates.

General Husbandry: A hardy, quite attractive species, yet rarely seen in the trade. Juveniles having a bright yellow body with a large black eye-spot edged in blue on the upper rear body, and a bluish white line from above the eye to the eye-spot. There’s also a small white and black spot on the upper caudal peduncle. Adults lose most of the yellow, with the upper body becoming dark blue, with some yellow remaining on the belly.

Both juveniles and adults are extermely feisty, and must be housed with very aggressive tankmates, e.g., dottybacks, hawkfishes, large wrasses, large angelfishes and surgeonfishes, and triggerfishes.

As to diet, 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 and plant material, e.g., flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina should be offered several times daily.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Labroidei

Family: Pomacentridae

Subfamily: Pomacentrinae

Genus: Neoglyphidodon

FYI: Attractive when small, yet not suitable for most home aquariums. Simply too feisty.

Easy to keep well fed, yet problematic as to tankmates!

Must have aggressive tankmates.

One per aquarium.

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: 55 gallons

Temperature Range: 68 - 82°F (20 – 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5