Blue Devil Damselfish Care Guide

Glossary:
  1. Care Guide & Requirements
  2. Reef Safe
  3. Prices
  4. Food & Diet
  5. Facts
  6. Tank Mates & Environment
  7. FAQs

The Blue Devil damselfish, or Chrysiptera cyanea, is a popular colorful fish that’s ideal for many saltwater tanks. They’re active and unique in their appearance, but they do require some precautions as more aggressive fish.

In this care guide, we’ll go over some aspects of the Blue Devil damselfish to consider before purchasing one or more specimens of this species.

Is the Blue Devil damselfish reef safe?

The Blue Devil damselfish is a very reef-safe fish, considering its natural habitat is a reef environment. They won’t bite at your corals or go after invertebrates in most cases despite their more aggressive nature.

Blue Devil damselfish food and diet

Similar to other damselfish, the Blue Devil damselfish is omnivorous and will eat a combination of plants and meat. You can feed them everything from algae and live Mysis shrimp to flakes and pellets. However, you should keep in mind that they’re highly competitive and will attack other fish for food. Make sure your damselfish has plenty of food to chow on in your tank and feed it twice daily.

Blue Devil damselfish FAQs

Are Blue Devil damselfish aggressive?

The Blue Devil damselfish is potentially aggressive and won’t get along well with passive fish or other damselfish. Instead, you’ll want to keep this fish with larger species that can hold their own in a tank that’s at least 30 gallons.

How long can a Blue Devil damselfish live?

The Blue Devil damselfish has a potentially long lifespan with the right care. Under the right circumstances, this fish can live for up to around 15 years. As long as you feed it right and keep a healthy environment for this fish, it will bring you many years of enjoyment.

How big do Blue Devil damselfish get?

These fish are on the smaller side and won’t grow too large. You can expect your Blue Devil to grow to around three inches. While aggressive, you don’t have to worry about them taking up too much space and claiming a large area for their territory. On the other hand, they are highly active and tend to explore, so you may do better with a larger tank, regardless.

Blue Devil damselfish price

The price range for the Blue Devil damselfish is wide, to say the least. You can find this fish on the market for anywhere from around $10 to $100, depending on where you look.

Blue Devil damselfish facts

Here are some interesting facts you might want to know about the Blue Devil damselfish:
  1. The Blue Devil damselfish has the unique ability to turn darker in color or even black. This happens when the fish is trying to blend in with its environment, often when it’s hiding inside a cave or dark area. If your fish stays dark for too long, this could indicate a stressful environment, but you should find that it turns back to blue when it no longer feels threatened.
  2. Blue Devil damselfish, like other damselfish, have teeth that help them consume algae. You may even be able to hear your damselfish chew its food.
  3. You can tell a male Blue Devil from a female by looking at the fish’s fins and tails. Females typically have spots at the base of their dorsal fins, while males tend to develop orange tails, but you may not notice these differences until your fish mature.

What other fish are the best tank mates for the Blue Devil damselfish?

The aggressiveness of the Blue Devil makes it difficult to find suitable tank mates. They’re highly territorial and won’t hesitate to go after other more vulnerable fish. This is why it’s best to keep other fish in the tank that won’t fall victim to the Blue Devil, including other damselfish, dottybacks, and wrasses.

Conversely, you should avoid keeping larger and equally aggressive fish with the Blue Devil, as it’s smaller and may not be able to survive with the wrong tank mates. Some tank mates to avoid include eels, lionfish, triggerfish, and pufferfish.

Where to buy Blue Devil damselfish

You can buy Blue Devil damselfish from many places online, such as: If you’re willing to house and care for a more aggressive but beautiful-looking fish, this can be a rewarding addition to your saltwater tank.