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Sergeant Major

Family: Pomacentridae

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Abudefduf saxatilis

     One of the Sergeant Major's natural habitats are the beds of Turtle Grass (Thalassia), found in the inshore zones of the Florida Keys!

     Abundant throughout the atlantic ocean in many regions, the Sergeant Major is a damselfish that is readily available, inexpensive, and hardy. Though they are cute little fish when purchased as juveniles, they can turn into very territorial adults. Make sure you have plenty of room and lots of decor for them, so they can claim a space of their own.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Marine Aquarium

Habitat: Natural geographic location: Atlantic Ocean: Rhode Island, USA to Uruguay in the western Atlantic. They are abundant on Caribbean reefs; around islands of the mid-Atlantic, Cape Verde, and along the tropical coast of western Africa south to Angola. Sergeant Major (Abudefduf saxatilis) is strictly an Atlantic species. The point map data in the Indo-Pacific region and Indian Ocean is the closely related species Abudefduf vaigiensis.

Status:      These fish are not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Maintenance difficulty:      The Sergeant Major is among the easiest of all marine fish to keep.

Maintenance:      This fish will readily eat all kinds of live, frozen, and flake foods and algae. Finely chopped meaty foods (like brine shrimp) can be fed regularly. It is best to feed small amounts several times a day. In a reef situation they don't really need to be fed very often at all.

Foods:      All kinds. See "maintenance" above.

Social Behaviors:      Like all damselfish, they can be territorial and aggressive, especially as they get older. Should not be kept with others of the same species. Can be kept with other larger fish but watch them closely to be sure their aggression doesn't become destructive. Inhabits inshore and offshore coral reefs, usually found at depths between 1 and 12 meters.

Sex: Sexual differences:      Not known.

Light: Recommended light levels:      No special requirements.

Breeding/Reproduction:      Some of the damselfish have been bred in captivity. See general breeding techniques under Clownfish on the marine breeding page.

Temperature:      No special requirements.

Length/Diameter of fish:      Sergeant Major adults can grow to 15.0 cm ( 5.9 inches).

Minimum Tank Length/Size:      A minimum 20 gallon aquarium is recommended if this is the only fish to be kept in it.

Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong      No special requirements.

Buy Sergeant Major From LiveAquaria.com

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom      Swims at all levels of the aquarium.

Availability:      This fish is readily available.

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Latest Comments
My sergeant major is the second biggest fish in my tank. He has grown more than any other fish in my tank since i got him. At first he was bullied and chased around by my royal dottyback, but after two months the tables slowly turned as he grew. I also have an electric blue damselfish which i added a few months after the sergeant major. The sergeant major is friendly with every other fish in the tank except the electric blue damsel. He could rival my porcupine pufferfish with the amount of food he consumes. Lee 2007-08-23
I love this fish! I have a Sergeant Major damsel, a yellow tail damsel a 3 stripe damsel and a coral angel. The sergeant Major is special. Yes he eats like a pig and will never refuse food. He will eat anything you give him but he is also very intellegent will bond with the owner. I come home and he is at the glass begging for food. After i feed him he will swim around then return to get eye contact with me. He will often stare at me with his big eyes. (so cute). He has figured out how to make the flake food fall down from the top of the water by swimming rapidly up and hitting the food with his tail. Then he swims back and forth grabbing all the food as it falls. He also taught my other fish to eat from the top. Very adorable... love him/her to death! Easy maintence, very inexpensive, very intelligent and loveable! Ginger 2007-04-04
the sergeant fish is a blue coloured fish and lives in the turtle grass .. pr[ii]c3ss 2006-02-28
In the course of three weeks, this fish double in size. He is one of my favorite Damsels but spends most of his time eating. That being said, he has outgrown the rest of his tank mates yet exhibits little to no aggression to other fish. Ramon 2005-02-19
in the course of 2 weeks, the sergeant major has devoured 8 super crocea clams and stressed out 4 more. this species is hard to catch and loves to dine on unsuspecting anemones, snails, clams, and small fish. i was sold this fish by mistake. Susan 2004-07-08

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