Millers Damselfish - Medium

The Millers Damselfish is brownish-greyish with darker scale margins and a narrow blue margin on the dorsal and anal fins. Juveniles are mostly yellow, with a bluish-grey back, iridescent blue lines from the snout to the back, a blue-ringed ocellus on the dorsal fin's back, and blue lines across the iris.

Millers Damselfish can be found from Rottnest Island in Western Australia to Mapoon in Queensland's Gulf of Carpentaria. It is one of the most common Damselfish along the Western Australian coast, it lives in shallow inshore reefs, mostly in rocky areas.

Tank Recommendations for Millers Damselfish

To begin, you want to make their transition into a new environment as easy as possible. Have you ever relocated and remembered how stressful it was? Your fishy pals share your sentiments! Any increase in stress can lead to more aggressive behaviour, making them hostile to their new neighbours. If you have a fish-only aquarium, you will want to have plenty of rock formations for vulnerable fish to hide in. This also allows the Damselfish to claim a small portion of the tank without upsetting the other residents.

If you only want to keep one small Damselfish, a 113 litre tank will give them enough room to dart around. You will need 190 litre aquarium if you are purchasing a couple. A tank with a capacity of at least 380 litres is required for groups of four or more. The recommendations above will provide enough space for all of your fish. Smaller tanks may result in your Damselfish becoming aggressive and territorial. In small tanks, one Damsel can take over the entire aquarium, which is why they should be the last addition to your tank!

Suitable Tank Buddies

Damselfish have gotten a bad rap in recent decades, but like anything else in life there's probably a solution. Paying close attention to the right types of Damselfish and meeting their needs will help ensure you don't add an overly aggressive Damselfish to your aquarium and immediately regret it! Damselfish's aggression is intended to protect their territory. If they are introduced to an aquarium first, they will claim the entire tank as their territory and bully any subsequent fish introduced. Damselfish are calmer and have a smaller territory to protect if they are added last.

Damselfish and Clownfish can coexist peacefully in the same tank, though this varies from case to case. There shouldn't be problems as long as both the clownfish and the damselfish have their own private spaces. Also ensure that the damselfish doesn't feel threatened as this can result in aggressive behaviour. However, damselfish may perceive clownfish to be invading their territories in some cases. This can happen for example if the damselfish was introduced to the tank first. It's reasonable to say that clownfish are low on the list of fish that are likely to irritate damselfish, but the possibility of a fishy fight remains.

Usually Compatible

If Damselfish are a 'Must Have' for your fish stocking list, keep semi-aggressive fish that won't be bullied by your Millers Damselfish. No one likes to be picked on, and if the other fish in your aquarium are semi-aggressive like, Wrasse, Parrot Fish, Anglefish, and Hogfish. Then you shouldn't have too many problems because they can stand up for themselves! This will reduce the chances of the Damselfish bullying or killing your fish.

Sometime Compatible

Triggerfish, Cardinalfish, Clownfish and Butterflyfish are usually compatible with Damselfish, depending on tank size and the number of Damselfish.

Rarely Compatible

Damselfish are frequently prey for many other fish species, despite their aggression. Their aggressive attitudes and territorial natures are, of course, defence mechanisms. However, they are still considered prey in the food chain for larger species in the water. This is the reason why Eels, Groupers, Snappers and Sharks are rarely found with Damselfish.

Feeding your Millers Damselfish

The majority of Damselfish are either omnivorous (eating both plants and animals) or strictly carnivorous. The true carnivores eat mostly plankton and other tiny invertebrates like Chromis Damselfish. The others will eat reef algae and any invertebrates they find floating around or crawling among the live rock. Damselfish should be fed a good marine omnivore blend that includes high-quality items like spirulina, shrimp meal, and fish to provide the nutrient diversity they need. Supplement this with thawed frozen foods like brine shrimp or chopped mysis shrimp on occasion!

Damselfish, regardless of size, age, or species, are extremely active. As a result, we recommend that you should feed them at least twice a day, with three small feedings being preferable. They will eat aggressively, frequently splashing water around, which may put off shy fish. So, once again, choose their tank mates carefully!