Fish
Reticulated Damselfish
Dascyllus reticulatusAlso known as Reticulate Dascyllus, Two-stripe Damselfish, Headband Humbug
Reticulated damselfish form tight social groups that hover just above branching coral colonies, plucking drifting plankton from warm lagoon currents. At the first sign of danger, an entire cluster retreats simultaneously into the dense limestone branches of Pocillopora or Acropora corals for shelter. Males maintain distinct territories among the coral heads, vigorously guarding demersal egg clutches by fanning water over them until they hatch.
Reef DwellerSocialDiurnal
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyCopepods, Fish Larvae, Amphipods
Predators
- Coral Trout
- Blacktip Reef Shark
- Giant Moray
ThreatsCoral bleaching, reef degradation, and occasional collection for the marine aquarium trade
HabitatsShallow coral reefs, sheltered lagoons, and outer reef slopes rich in branching corals
Life span4–7 years
Classification
- OrderPerciformes
- FamilyPomacentridae
- GenusDascyllus
- SpeciesDascyllus reticulatus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Buoyancy Control: Maintain steady, neutral buoyancy so fins do not strike fragile branching corals.
- Approach Pace: Glide slowly toward coral heads to watch them feed without driving them into hiding.
Frequent Companion (c) Michael Bakker Paiva, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Host Coral (c) Susan Prior, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Susan Prior · cc-by
Close Relative (c) dr.scott.mills, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Valued image, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.