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Neon Velvet Damsel
Damsel

Neon Velvet Damsel

Neoglyphidodon oxyodon

A stunning juvenile — jet-black velvet with an electric blue crescent and a white bar — that fades to a plainer dark blue-grey as it matures. Hardy and easy to feed, but like most robust damsels it grows territorial with age and will bully clownfish and other damsels for real estate, so it is best added late and kept singly. It leaves corals alone but its attitude, not its diet, is what makes it a reef-tank gamble.

Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Max size
5.5"
Min tank
30 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Omnivore
Zone
Mid-water, Rockwork
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Neon Velvet 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.

FirefishAs it grows the neon velvet damsel harasses smaller peaceful fishes; a shy firefish is bullied into hiding.Scissortail DartfishThe neon velvet damsel becomes very aggressive as it matures and must be housed with robust tankmates; a peaceful dartfish is harassed and outcompeted.Fiji Blue Devil DamselNeoglyphidodon vs Chrysiptera — both are highly territorial damsels that must be kept with equally tough fish, so pairing them together produces sustained aggression.Domino DamselDascyllus vs Neoglyphidodon — both mature into large aggressive, territorial damsels that fight over the same rock territory.Zebra DartfishA mature neon velvet damsel picks on smaller, weaker fish; a timid zebra dartfish is a likely victim.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Velvet Damsel.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Velvet Damsel.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Velvet Damsel.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Velvet Damsel.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Velvet Damsel.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Velvet Damsel.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Velvet Damsel.Spanish HogfishSpanish Hogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Neon Velvet Damsel.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Maroon ClownfishNeon Velvet Damsel and Maroon Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Blue DamselNeon Velvet Damsel and Blue Damsel both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Yellowtail DamselNeon Velvet Damsel and Yellowtail Damsel both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Flame AngelfishNeon Velvet Damsel and Flame Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Coral Beauty AngelfishNeon Velvet Damsel and Coral Beauty Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Lemonpeel AngelfishNeon Velvet Damsel and Lemonpeel Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Bicolor AngelfishNeon Velvet Damsel and Bicolor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Saddleback ClownfishNeon Velvet Damsel and Red Saddleback Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Yellow TangNeon Velvet Damsel and Yellow Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Sea ClownfishNeon Velvet Damsel and Red Sea Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Sailfin TangNeon Velvet Damsel and Sailfin Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Purple TangNeon Velvet Damsel and Purple Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Powder Blue TangNeon Velvet Damsel and Powder Blue Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Matted FilefishNeon Velvet Damsel and Matted Filefish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Yellow Clown GobyNeon Velvet Damsel (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Yellow Clown Goby and may harass it.Green Clown GobyNeon Velvet Damsel (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Green Clown Goby and may harass it.Convict TangNeon Velvet Damsel and Convict Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Clark's ClownfishNeon Velvet Damsel and Clark's Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Tomato ClownfishNeon Velvet Damsel and Tomato Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Canary BlennyNeon Velvet Damsel and Canary Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.