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Cloudy dascyllus (Dascyllus carneus) — Pomacentridae

Cloudy dascyllus

Dascyllus carneus
Family: Pomacentridae

The Cloudy dascyllus (Dascyllus carneus) is a saltwater fish of the family Pomacentridae that grows up to 7 cm.

Length
7 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
5.0–40.0 m
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Africa: Sri Lanka, Comoros, Indonesia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique and others

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Description

The Cloudy dascyllus is a damselfish (Pomacentridae) from the western Indian Ocean. The species grows to about 7 cm and has a deep, disc-shaped body. The dark body bears fine blue spots and a paler central band. As a reef-dweller it lives in groups around coral heads, where it shelters among the branches when threatened, and eats zooplankton and algae. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Cloudy dascyllus?

The Cloudy dascyllus has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly black.

Where does the Cloudy dascyllus live?

The Cloudy dascyllus lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Africa: Sri Lanka, Comoros, Indonesia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique and others

How big does the Cloudy dascyllus get?

The Cloudy dascyllus grows to a maximum of about 7 cm.

Is the Cloudy dascyllus dangerous to humans?

No, the Cloudy dascyllus is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Cloudy dascyllus (Dascyllus carneus) — Pomacentridae — 2
Wikimedia Commons — BEDO (Thailand) (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Cloudy dascyllus (Dascyllus carneus) — Pomacentridae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Nikolai Vladimirov, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Cloudy dascyllus (Dascyllus carneus) — Pomacentridae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Marie-Aurélia Sabatte, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Cloudy dascyllus (Dascyllus carneus) — Pomacentridae — 5
Wikimedia Commons — Ahmed Abdul Rahman for MDC Seamarc Maldives (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Cloudy dascyllus sourced
Scientific name
Dascyllus carneus
Family
Pomacentridae
Other names
Bluetop dascyllus; Cloudy damsel; Cloudy dascyllus; Freckled damselfish; Indian dascyllus; Twobar humbug; Blue spotted dascylus; Indian hambug; Whitetail damselfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
7.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Black sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
5.0 verified
Max depth (m)
40.0 verified
Natural range
Africa: Sri Lanka, Comoros, Indonesia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Invertebrates, algae and detritus inferred
Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
Yes inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Dascyllus

More from the family Pomacentridae

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