How to Care for Lemon Damselfish

This hardy, mild-mannered Damselfish is a great candidate for nearly any reef aquarium. Lacking most of the obnoxious personality of other Damsel species, these fish get along with others in a variety of aquatic settings. Staying quite small, our broodstock have maxed out at just 3 inches in length, making them a good choice even for smaller tanks. If you start with two young individuals you will likely end up with a pair, but they can be kept in any sized group as long as the tank is large enough. We have successfully housed the Lemon Damsel in groups with Yellowtail Blue Damsels, Sapphire Damsels and various other Clownfish species. This species will actively swim around searching crevices for potential food items. Their diet should include crustacean meat/meal and algae meals to maintain their bright yellow coloration – any of the commercially available krill-based pelleted diets, gel diets, flake foods, frozen Artemia and Mysis shrimp will be readily accepted.

The ORA Lemon Damsel is our best candidate for a “starter fish” in a newly set up aquarium.

Maximum Length: 3"
Care Level: Easy
Family: Pomacentridae
Reef Compatibility: Excellent
Minimum Aquarium Size: 30 gal.
Range: Captive Bred ORA Farms
Diet: Omnivore
Water Conditions: 75-80° F; sg 1.024-1.026 (1.025 is ideal); pH 8.1-8.4 Ca 420-440 ppm, Alk 8-9.5 dKH, Mg 1260-1350, Nitrates <10ppm, Phosphates, < .10ppm

Water Chemistry: Maintaining Ammonia at 0 ppm, Nitrites at 0 ppm, and Nitrates below 10ppm will help to keep your Percula Clownfish happy and healthy. We recommend doing a water change soon after Nitrates rise above 10 ppm. Maintaining proper calcium (420-440 ppm), alkalinity (8-9.5 dkh - run it 7-8 if you are carbon dosing) , and magnesium levels (1260-1350 ppm) will help to keep pH stable in the 8.1-8.4 range. We recommend a specific gravity of 1.024-1.026 with 1.025 being ideal for fish. Temperature should remain stable as well and should stay within a 2 degree range.