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Four Stripe Damsel
Damsel

Four Stripe Damsel

Dascyllus melanurus

A crisp black-and-white trade staple, the Four Stripe (Blacktail) Damsel is nearly indestructible and one of the cheapest saltwater fish going. Juveniles shelter tightly in branching coral or rockwork and make a lively splash of contrast. The catch is temperament: it stays peaceful only while small, then matures into a bold, territorial bully that will harass anything sharing its patch. Reef-safe with corals and inverts, but add it last and expect it to run the tank.

Temperament
Aggressive
Max size
3.1"
Min tank
29 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Omnivore
Zone
Rockwork, Mid-water
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Four Stripe Damsel gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Yasha GobyFour Stripe Damsel (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Yasha Goby and may harass it.Yellow Clown GobyFour Stripe Damsel (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Yellow Clown Goby and may harass it.Green Clown GobyFour Stripe Damsel (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Green Clown Goby and may harass it.Neon GobyFour Stripe Damsel (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Neon Goby and may harass it.Antennata LionfishAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Domino DamselFour Stripe Damsel and Domino Damsel are the same genus (Dascyllus) and will fight — keep only one.Marine BettaMarine Betta has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Six-Line SoapfishSix-Line Soapfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.Painted FrogfishPainted Frogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Four Stripe Damsel.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Kole TangFour Stripe Damsel and Kole Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Sixline WrasseFour Stripe Damsel and Sixline Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Melanurus WrasseFour Stripe Damsel and Melanurus Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Coral HawkfishFour Stripe Damsel and Coral Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Springer's DottybackFour Stripe Damsel and Springer's Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Purple DottybackFour Stripe Damsel and Purple Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Midas BlennyFour Stripe Damsel and Midas Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Longnose HawkfishFour Stripe Damsel and Longnose Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Potter's AngelfishFour Stripe Damsel and Potter's Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Bicolor BlennyFour Stripe Damsel and Bicolor Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Coris WrasseFour Stripe Damsel and Red Coris Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Flame HawkfishFour Stripe Damsel and Flame Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Saddleback ClownfishFour Stripe Damsel and Saddleback Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Cherub AngelfishFour Stripe Damsel and Cherub Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Multicolor AngelfishFour Stripe Damsel and Multicolor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Starry BlennyFour Stripe Damsel and Starry Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Spotted MandarinFour Stripe Damsel and Spotted Mandarin both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Rusty AngelfishFour Stripe Damsel and Rusty Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Emperor AngelfishFour Stripe Damsel and Emperor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Regal AngelfishFour Stripe Damsel and Regal Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.