Whitetail dascyllus – Dascyllus aruanus

Whitetail dascyllus, Whitetail Dascyllus, Dascyllus aruanus

The Whitetail Dascyllus (Dascyllus aruanus) is a small, brightly colored reef fish that is popular in the aquarium trade. It is known for its striking black and white coloration, with a distinctive white tail fin.

Description & Characteristics

The Whitetail Dascyllus is a relatively small fish, reaching a maximum size of around 10.0 cm. The body is oval-shaped, with a deep, compressed profile. The head is small, with a slightly pointed snout. The mouth is small and protrusible. The dorsal fin is long and continuous, extending almost the entire length of the back. The anal fin is also long and continuous. The caudal fin (tail fin) is rounded and white, contrasting sharply with the black body. The body is covered in small scales. The Whitetail Dascyllus exhibits sexual dimorphism, with the females being slightly larger than the males.

Habitat and Occurrence

The Whitetail Dascyllus is found in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, ranging from the Red Sea and the East African coast to the Pacific islands. This species typically inhabits shallow coral reefs, where it prefers to live among the branches of branching corals, particularly Acropora species. It can be found at depths of 0.0 – 20.0 meters, making it a prominent inhabitant of the photic zone, where sunlight readily penetrates the water.

Taxonomy

The species Dascyllus aruanus belongs to the Class: Teleostei, Order: Ovalentaria incertae sedis, and Family: Pomacentridae. The Pomacentridae family encompasses a diverse array of fish, including damselfishes, clownfishes, and chromis. These fishes are generally small and brightly colored, and many exhibit symbiotic relationships with other marine organisms.

Feeding

The Whitetail Dascyllus is an omnivorous fish, feeding on a variety of small invertebrates and algae. In the wild, its diet consists of zooplankton, small crustaceans, and algae. In the aquarium setting, it can be readily fed a diet of brine shrimps, flakes, frozen food (large sort), krill, and mysis.

Associated Species

Image References

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