Damsel ID

[Craig Manoukian]

This fish was ordered by my LFS as a Blue Fiji Damsel. In the Damsel book at the LFS the Blue Fiji Damsel does not have any yellow on the dorsal fin and has a slightly different body shape. This fish has a body type that resembles that of an Azure Damsel, but not the same coloration. Any ideas?

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Here is another shot.

 

[ReefLady]

Around here they call it an azure damsel. Nice looking fish. Typical damsel attitude.

T

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Thanks Travis,

This is the same fish a week ago hiding from the bigger Blue Damsel with the bully attitude.

 

[dwall174]

Chrysiptera Damsels
I have seen both Chrysiptera cyanea & Chrysiptera taupou sold as the fiji blue devil! Here’s some pic’s of my old fiji blue devil! I believe he was the Chrysiptera cyanea. He was way too aggressive & I had to give him to a friend that has a predator tank! From what I have read the Chrysiptera taupou is a lot less aggressive.

I’ve seen the ones like yours & just figured they were a cross between the Chrysiptera cyanea & Chrysiptera taupou? To me the Azure are more like the yellow tails! They’re smaller & rounder as compared to the cyanea & taupou which are longer & narrower.

 

[mps9506]

Craig,
What I have listed in Scott Michaels book as a Fiji Blue devil is what you have posted.
That's what I always knew as a Fiji Blue Devil also. I believe the extended yellow dorsal helps in indicating sex. Let me see if I can find a link on these guys.

 

[mps9506]

This is info from WWM:

Like doug said, here is their info;"Chrysiptera taupou (Jordan & Seale 1906), the Village Belle or South Seas Devil. Southwestern Pacific Ocean. A great beauty and relatively non-aggressive. A very nice addition as an individual specimen to reef aquariums; where this one was photographed. To two and a half inches in length."

This is also sold as a Blue Devil Damsel (the probelm with common names I guess).
From WWM,"Chrysiptera cyanea (Quoy & Gaimard 1825), the Blue Devil/Damsel. Likely the most commonly used member of the Damsel family by the aquarium interest. Western Pacific over to the bare eastern edge of the Indian Ocean. To two and a half inches in length. Variably blue with some orange yellow on fins. Aquarium specimens shown below."

you apparently have C.tapou.

FWIW here is what an azure damsel is:

 

[mps9506]

Also for what ever its worth, I typically get C.cyanea for about half the price that I pay to get C.taupou.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Well, after looking at the picture at LiveAquaria.com I do see the yellow on the dorsal. You may have hit the nail on the head Mike if coloration indicates the sex. It appears to be Blue Devil Fiji - Chrysyptera taupou so what a deal for $4.30, eh? Here is quote from LiveAquaria.com regarding the Blue Devil Fiji Damsel...."also known as the South Seas Devil Damselfish or Village Belle, is blue with a yellow belly. It is aggressive and should not be mixed with its own species".

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Good Lookin' fish dwall!

 

[dwall174]

Good Lookin' fish dwall!

Good looking but mean as s###!
Like I stated before I had to give him to a friend that has an aggressive tank. Last I saw he was holding his own with a volitan lion & a harlequin tusk! Here's a pic of what he did over several months time to a yellow tang I had! Regretfully I eventually lost the tang. Note the top of his dorsal fin! I never really noticed the damage until one day when I was moving some LR which the tang hid behind & I seen his dorsal fin. I guess I know why he was hiding all the time.

Also notice the difference in the body shape of the anus fin area on the back half of each fish & the back half of the dorsal fins!

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Yup, mean little nippers!