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Little Shop of Coral

Yellowtail Damselfish (Chrysiptera parasema)

Yellowtail Damselfish (Chrysiptera parasema)

$20.00 CAD
$20.00 CAD
Sale Sold out

The Yellowtail Damselfish is a reef classic with a bright blue body and a sharp yellow tail that pops under reef lighting. It is one of the more manageable damsels, making it a great choice if you want colour, movement, and durability without going straight to the most aggressive damselfish species. In the right tank, it is hardy, active, and a great value fish.

Why we love it

  • Bright blue with a high-contrast yellow tail

  • Hardy and easy to care for in most stable systems

  • One of the more peaceful damsels compared to many other types

Suggested parameters

  • Temperature: 24–26°C (75–79°F)

  • Salinity: 1.024–1.026 SG

  • pH: 8.1–8.4

  • Alkalinity: 8–10 dKH

  • Ammonia/Nitrite: 0

  • Nitrate: Under 20 ppm (stable is best)

Care and temperament

  • Difficulty: Easy

  • Temperament: Semi-aggressive

  • Reef safe: Yes

  • Minimum tank size: 20 gallons recommended (larger is better to reduce territorial behaviour)

Diet

Yellowtails are not picky and do best with variety.

  • Quality marine pellets and flakes

  • Frozen mysis and enriched brine shrimp

  • Finely chopped seafood blends

  • Feed small amounts 1 to 2 times per day

Compatibility and tankmates

  • Generally fine with most reef fish, but can defend a territory

  • Best kept singly, or as a small group in larger tanks with plenty of rockwork

  • Provide caves and line-of-sight breaks to reduce chasing

  • Avoid pairing with very timid fish in smaller systems

What you are buying

  • You will receive: 1 Yellowtail Damselfish (Chrysiptera parasema)

  • Colour and size can vary slightly between individuals

As with all fish, slow acclimation is recommended, and quarantine is encouraged when possible.

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LIGHT

LOW: Place coral at the bottom of the tank. Depending on the type, coral may need to be placed off sand and therefore mounted on a ceramic disc of piece of rock.

MEDIUM: Place coral at mid-range of the tank. Best placed/glued on top of a rock scape at mid-range height. 

HIGH: Place coral from mid range to just below water level. SPS coral are shallow growing so they require and are able to tolerate intense light.

FLOW

LOW: Most soft coral do well with a small, gentle pulse. There are certain corals that can even be placed in areas of indirect flow, meaning places aside a rock structure or set into a entrance to a cave style space.

MEDIUM: Many LPS types of coral prefer medium pulse current. Most Euphyllia or corals that have more tissue structure connected to their skeleton, don’t like to be in a high flow area like the direct flow of the wave pump.

HIGH: Similar to high light, SPS enjoy being in some heavy current. Most LPS and SPS that branch encrust or plate prefer high flow that simulates the top water waves.

SKILL

ENTRY: While some may say beginner level, "Entry" is a good term to be used when starting out in the world of corals and marine life. Prior to adding livestock, you want to ensure that your reef has the proper parameters including zero levels of ammonia and nitrite. Seeing traces of nitrate in your waters is a good sign - just keep them at a lower level of 2ppm to 10ppm. Maintaining correct temperature and salinity are a huge factor to stable parameters. Starting to monitor your PH, alkalinity, calcium and magnesium is a great habit to get into to keep a successful reef.

While some soft coral don’t require too much light, having a proper reef light that puts out the proper pars is very important. You'll also want to have a good amount of flow and protected rock areas, as placing corals in their happy spot is ideal for success.

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