Surge Damsel
Chrysiptera brownriggii
| Stock | Variations | Price | Quantity |
|---|
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Full guarantee terms →Ships Monday – Thursday for next-day arrival at your nearest FedEx Hold location — typically ready by 9 AM. We monitor every delivery.
Shipping details →
Monday – Friday 8 AM – 9 PM
Saturday 12 PM – 4 PM
Sunday 12 PM – 9 PM
Healthy, stable animals from vetted suppliers — inspected before packing, shipped overnight. Decades of experience built this model so we can deliver premium livestock at 30%+ less than you'd pay elsewhere.
| Care Level | Easy |
|---|---|
| Temperament | Semi-Aggressive |
| Reef Safe | Yes |
| Functional Benefit | Ornamental Only |
| Diet Type | Omnivore |
| Mininum Tank Size | 55 gallons |
| Max Size | 3 inches |
| Temperature | 72–78°F |
| pH Range | 8.1–8.4 |
| Specific Gravity | 1.022–1.025 |
The Surge Damsel (Chrysiptera brownriggii), also called the surge damselfish or surge demoiselle, is a compact Chrysiptera damsel from Indo-Pacific reefs that stays close to rock and rubble zones shaped by wave and tidal surge. It’s a great choice when you want constant motion and a fish that makes full use of the nooks and ledges in your aquascape.
What You’ll Observe:
- Short, fast dashes between rock crevices, followed by hovering in the open water nearby
- A “home base” area it returns to repeatedly throughout the day
- Quick participation at feeding time, including grabbing items from the water column
- Regular patrolling of the rockwork, especially around favorite caves and overhangs
To help it settle in, provide plenty of rockwork with multiple small caves and clear swim lanes around the structure. Offer a mixed omnivore menu (quality pellets and flakes plus frozen foods) so it can graze and pick throughout the day. With consistent feeding and a stable layout, it becomes a steady, active presence in the tank.
Will it be hard to catch later once it settles in?
Yes—once it learns the rockwork, a fish trap (and feeding in the trap for a few days) is usually the cleanest method.
Do damsels act differently after a rockscape change?
Often, yes—changing the rockwork can reset boundaries, and many hobbyists use this to help spread out territories when adding new fish.
If I buy two, will they automatically become a pair?
Sometimes they do, but it’s not guaranteed—starting with smaller, similarly sized fish gives the best chance, and the tank usually decides which one becomes dominant.
Is short chasing during the first week normal?
Light chasing as it picks a favorite area is common; adding extra caves and breaking up lines of sight helps everything settle into a routine.
Why does its color look darker at times?
Many damsels darken when resting, stressed, or adjusting to a new tank, and then brighten back up once they’re comfortable and feeding normally.
Shipped with pure oxygen and temperature control so it arrives stress-free and ready to eat.
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