Humbug Damselfish

ID points

• Three straight broad black vertical bands on a white ground
• Tail fin pure white and translucent, in clear contrast to the body
• Small groups stay over the same clump of staghorn coral

Basics

Family

Pomacentridae

Length

6–10 cm

Depth

1-20 m

Regions

Indo-Pacific reefs

Distribution

Indo-Pacific coral reefs

Habitat

Shallow lagoons with branching coral

Diet

Zooplankton, algae

Easily confused with

Clark's AnemonefishBody black to dark brown with three broad white bandsClownfishOrange body with three broad white bands, each edged in blackMaroon ClownfishDeep maroon red with three thin white or gold bands

Fun fact

Crisp vertical black and white stripes, usually in small groups over the tops of coral heads, and rather territorial about their patch.

More in this family

• Blue-green Chromis
• Damselfish
• Garibaldi
• Sergeant Major
• Three-spot Dascyllus
• Tomato Clownfish