Help! Damselfish Detectives!

[barry]

Can anyone help me find out the TRUE identifiacation and origin of this beautiful damselfish. I just got one and can't find much information on him. He has a brilliant tail which looks as though it has been dipped in orange paint. There is a picture which closely resembles him at this address:
http://www.hooversaquapuppies.com/SW.../C.cyanea.html
The fish I have looks just like the second picture. I don't think that it is possible that the 2 fish pictured here are the same species. Anyone know what kind he truly is?????

 

[fishgirl]

Yes, your fish is a blue devil, and yes, both the pics are the same sp. as I have both pics in a marine fish book of mine. I think you can't see the tail on the first one because it's on a red slide, and the lighting changes the bules. I had a blue devil a couple of years ago. Quite agressive, but great for an aggressive tank, and is not nearly as aggressive as the humbug and domino damsels.

 

[barry]

Fishgirl,
Did yours have the same orange tail? And do you know where it comes from? I heard it comes from the Great Barrier Reef. Does your book say anything about this?
[This message has been edited by barry (edited 06-27-2000).]

 

[clayton]

There is lots of confusion over the names of some very similar fish. Even the scientific names are often mixed, ie Chrysipter cyanea, Abudefduf cyaneus and Pomacentrus coeruleus.
As far as I know there are two species which I call Electric blue damsels and Blue devils. In some cases you can only tell the difference by counting scales and dorsal rays (yawn).
Anyway, if the fish that you have has a yellow/orange fringe to it's tail, like in the picture, then it is a sexualy mature and active male blue devil. It is only the males that get the yellow fringe to the tail, and naturaly they would keep a hareem of non-yellow-tailed females. It's easy to remember the name and colour of blue devils as 'their tales have been dipped in the flames of hell!' - don't ask!!
If your LFS still has some of the same batch in stock then try and get some females as these fish have been spawned in aquariums.
Good luck, I think these are great fish!

 

[fishgirl]

My Blue devil did not have the orange tail, b/c she was a female, and I belive there are so many types of mostly blue damselfishes but the main two at least the common names are blue damsels(I think what you were calling electric blue, but those in my LFS at least are basically clear w/ electric blue only on the top) and blue devil damsels. You have a sexually mature Blue Devil Damselfish.
-Jean
PS I like that saying about the blue devil being dipped in flames
L

L
[This message has been edited by Fishgirl (edited 06-27-2000).]