Four Stripe Damselfish, also known as Blacktail Dascyllus, Humbug Damselfish, Blacktail Damselfish, or Blacktail Humbug, is a marine fish from the Pomacentridae family.
It’s found in the western Pacific Ocean and is kept as an aquarium pet.
Four Stripe Damselfish likes to swim together in groups and live in protected areas such as lagoons, harbors, and inlets, often near Acropora coral outcrops.
It usually hangs out around small coral structures.
Four Stripe Damselfish eats many kinds of plankton, including baby shrimp, crabs, algae, tiny crustaceans called ostracods and amphipods, floating tunicates, copepods (another type of small crustacean), and fish eggs.
This fish is active during the daytime and is safe for the reef environment.
Four Stripe Damselfish Interesting Facts
- Four Stripe Damselfish are social and live in protected areas near coral structures, feeding on various types of plankton.
- These fish are found in the Western Pacific region at depths of 3 to 223 feet and don’t migrate.
- They are distinguishable by their unique black tail area and white body with three black bars.
- During breeding, they form pairs; males guard the oxygenated eggs that stick to underwater surfaces.
Four Stripe Damselfish Habitat
Four Stripe Damselfish lives in the Western Pacific region, from Sumatra to Vanuatu, extending northward to the Ryukyu Islands and southward to New Caledonia. It has also been found in Tonga.
This fish lives near reefs and doesn’t migrate. It’s found at depths of 1 to 68 meters (3 to 223 feet) in tropical waters with coordinates ranging from 35°N to 25°S latitude and 104°E to 173°W longitude.
| Water Temperature: | Unknown |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Four Stripe Damselfish Physical Characteristics
Size: 3.1 inches (8.0 centimeters)
Four Stripe Damselfish is a small fish with a maximum length of 3.1 inches (8.0 centimeters).
It has 12 dorsal spines and 12 to 13 dorsal soft rays. It also has two anal spines and 12 to 13 anal soft rays.
Four Stripe Damselfish is white with three black bars on its body.
It has a unique black area covering the outer two-thirds of its tail, which sets it apart from the similar-looking D. aruanus species.
Its pelvic fins are black while its pectoral fins are transparent. This fish has 16 to 17 tubed lateral line scales.
The edges of some facial bones (preorbital, suborbital, and preoperculum) have fine serrations.
In terms of body proportions, its depth measures between 1.5 to 1.7 times in relation to its standard length.
Four Stripe Damselfish Reproduction
Four Stripe Damselfish lays eggs (oviparous) and forms unique pairs when breeding.
The eggs stick to surfaces underwater (demersal) and don’t float around.
Male fish guard the eggs and help keep them oxygenated by moving water over them.
Four Stripe Damselfish Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Family: | Pomacentridae |
| Genus: | Dascyllus |
| Scientific Name: | Dascyllus melanurus |
| Also Known As: | Four Stripe Damselfish, Blacktail Dascyllus, Humbug Damselfish, Blacktail Damselfish, Blacktail Humbug |
| Conservation Status: | Unknown |