Devilishly Hardy

The Blue Devil Damselfish, (Chrysiptera taupou) sometimes referred to as “Fiji” or “Tongan” devils, is a beautiful neon blue damselfish with a yellow belly starting under its chin and running all the way to its caudal (tail) fin, with yellow color usually dominating the caudal fin as well. They reach a maximum size of three inches. 

Distribution and Habitat 

Blue Devils are found throughout the Western Pacific (Coral Sea to Samoa) it is a common sight in lagoons and even in shallow reef habitat. Due to its boldness and bright colors, snorkeling anywhere in the described range would yield sightings of this electric blue and yellow fish! 

Aquarium Requirements 

Due to living in shallow lagoon habitats, Blue Devils are exposed to a wide range of conditions from being exposed to high and low tides, and the temperature and parameter swings that come with that type of habitat. They are so incredibly hardy that aquarists used to commonly use them to cycle their aquariums and start the nitrogen cycle. Now we realize that there are more humane and effective ways to start the beneficial bacterial colonies in an aquarium, but the point remains, blue devils are very resilient and can adapt to almost any environment. That said, the minimum recommended tank size for a single specimen would be ten gallons. They can be incredibly aggressive and will defend a fairly large territory so attempting to stock anything else with them in a tank of that size could result in disaster. They will appreciate live rock structure that gives them plenty of caves to hide in, and live coral will only accentuate their security while recreating their natural habitats. 

Feeding 

Getting Blue Devils to feed is incredibly easy and they will accept any quality pellet or flake food and will relish in frozen foods such as mysis or enriched brine shrimp. They will also forage in your aquarium, eating small amphipods and other animals living in the live rock and pick at algae if offered or growing in the aquarium. 

Breeding 

While Chrysiptera taupou has been bred in captivity, it is not widely commercially available. Part of that may be its widespread availability. The have a very short population doubling time and high population density that is not affected by sustainable collection. Another factor might be the relatively low price point. That said, Blue Devils form pairs and lay eggs on rocks. Males will guard the eggs and aerate them before they hatch. Like most marine species, getting them to spawn is the easy part, and raising the young to aquarium size is much more difficult, but has been accomplished. 

Conclusion

If you have a small marine aquarium in need of a single fish, or a large aquarium full of aggressive fish, Blue Devil Damsels might just be for you. Their bold attitude and bright colors will ensure that they are always visible, and their natural habitat is easily replicated even in small spaces with bright lights and coral. Ask your LFS today about ordering sustainably harvested Blue Devil Damselfish from Quality Marine!