Pomacentrus bankanensis

Bleeker, 1854

Speckled Damselfish

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Christmas Island east to Fiji, north to Southern Japan, and south to northern and western Australia.

Size: 4 inches (9 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits fringing reefs, lagoon patch reefs, and outer reef faces at depths between 3 to about 100 feet (1 – 30 m) and mainly feeds on filamentous algae and somewhat on benthic invertebrates.

General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade with juveniles having an orange brown body with a black eyespot edged in bright blue on the rear dorsal. It also has several fine horizontal blue lines from the snout to the dorsal, which fade as it grows into adulthood.

Best maintained in aquaria having live rock with growths of various forms of algae.

As to diet, will eat most regular aquarium foods, 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 offered once or twice daily.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Labroidei

Family: Pomacentridae

Subfamily: Pomacentrinae

Genus: Pomacentrus

FYI: One per aquarium unless a mated pair.

Experience Level: Beginner

Temperament: Semi-aggressive

Diet: Omnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Semi-aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons

Temperature Range: 74 - 84°F (23 – 28°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5