Kupang Damselfish

Kupang Damselfish (Chrysiptera hemicyanea), widely known in the aquarium trade as the Azure Damselfish, Azure Demoiselle, or Half-Blue Damselfish: 1. Appearance & Coloration Coloration: They feature a brilliant, vibrant sapphire-blue upper body and dorsal region, sharply contrasted by a luxurious, bright golden-yellow underbelly, lower portion, anal fin, and tail. Size: They grow to a compact adult size of about 3 inches (7.5 cm). 2. Native Origin & Habitat Geography: They are native to the Indo-West Pacific region, including Southeast Asia, Indonesia (with specimens frequently collected near the port city of Kupang), and the Coral Triangle. Environment: Found in shallow, coral-rich areas, sheltered lagoons, and complex reef ecosystems. 3. Tank Requirements Minimum Tank Size: Requires a well-established aquarium of at least 30 gallons to provide adequate space for swimming and territory establishment. Water Parameters: Temperature: 72°F – 78°F (22°C – 26°C) Salinity (Specific Gravity): 1.020 – 1.025 pH: 8.1 – 8.4 Alkalinity: 8 – 12 dKH Aquascaping: Provide plenty of live rock arranged with caves, overhangs, and crevices to break up line-of-sight and offer hiding spots, which helps manage territorial boundaries. 4. Diet & Feeding Natural Diet: Plankton, microalgae, and small benthic crustaceans picked from the reef framework. Captive Diet: Hearty and easy to feed. They readily accept a varied omnivorous diet consisting of high-quality marine flakes, pellets, and frozen meaty foods like mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and cyclops. 5. Reef Compatibility Status: Reef Safe Behavior: Safe with corals, anemones, and sessile invertebrates, though they may occasionally pick at tiny benthic microinvertebrates on the rockwork. 6. Temperament & Tank Mates Temperament: While they are generally considered one of the most peaceful damselfish species, they still retain classic damselfish spunk and can become territorial—especially toward each other or similarly colored/shaped blue fish. Compatibility: Best housed with peaceful to semi-aggressive community fish in systems with plenty of hiding spaces. Avoid keeping them with overly timid, tiny fish or delicate species that can get bullied in smaller setups.