Fun Garibaldi Damselfish Facts For Kids

Garibaldi damselfish Hypsypops rubicundus is a marine fish that is also known by the common names Garibaldi, Catalina Goldfish, and Marine Goldfish. This fish species is found near the coasts of the Pacific Ocean, Baja California, and Monterey Bay. It is greatly protected on the California coasts. Their habitat usually consists of rocky reefs. Garibaldi damselfishes are not good with other fish species and should be kept preferably with similar fish species only. The breeding season of garibaldi damselfishes is from March to July. The females of this species are very selective in choosing their mate. Males are completely responsible for guarding the eggs and nurturing the juveniles.

Read on for some of the most interesting facts about this aggressive fish species. Afterward, do have a look at our other articles on the rainbow cichlid and a royal gramma.

What type of animal is a garibaldi damselfish?

A garibaldi damselfish Hypsypops rubicundus is an orange-colored marine fish. They are very aggressive and do not get along well with other fishes in an aquarium.

What class of animal does a garibaldi damselfish belong to?

A garibaldi damselfish belongs to the fish class of animals. This aquarium fish species belongs to the Pomacentridae family.

How many garibaldi damselfish are there in the world?

The total population of garibaldi damselfishes in their natural habitat is currently unknown. This fish species can be found in aquariums and tanks across the world. But it is abundant enough that their conservation is unnecessary.

Where does a garibaldi damselfish live?

A garibaldi damselfish habitat is around coral reefs in the ocean. They are very commonly found in rocky reefs and kelp forests of the Pacific Ocean. This reef fish is a popular aquarium fish species across the world.

What is a garibaldi damselfish's habitat?

A garibaldi damselfish habitat consists of shallow ocean waters. This bright orange fish with blue spots can be found on rocky reefs at the bottoms of the ocean. They sometimes live in caves on the ocean floor. These fishes are also found in kelp forests. They can be found at depths of up to 98 ft (29.8 m).

Who does garibaldi damselfish live with?

Garibaldi damselfishes live with fishes of their own species and others around the coral reef. The ecosystem of this fish species also consists of shallow ocean-dwelling marine fishes and other marine species.

How long does a garibaldi damselfish live?

A garibaldi damselfish has a long lifespan for a fish. The average lifespan for this fish is 12 years. But this fish species is known to have a life expectancy of up to 17 years if suitable living conditions are provided.

How do they reproduce?

These fishes reach sexual maturity at the age of five to six years. The male garibaldi damselfish prepares nests for eggs in their home territory, which takes around one month. On completion of nests for eggs, the male garibaldi damselfish approaches females to invite them into the home territory. On inspection of the breeding areas, laid eggs and males the females select their mates. Females then lay eggs in these nests with already laid eggs. The incubation period for the eggs is two to three weeks; after that, the juveniles are born.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the garibaldi damselfish is of least concern at present. Their conservation is thus not necessary at the moment.

What do garibaldi damselfish look like?

Garibaldi damselfishes are bright orange in color with hints of blue across the body. They have opaque dorsal fins and tails. Their body is roughly elliptical in shape. These fishes have heart-shaped anal fins and caudal fins. The juveniles are reddish-orange in color and have bright blue spots on them.

How cute are they?

Garibaldi damselfishes are extremely cute. They have an attractive orange color which catches everyone's eyes. They are beautiful-looking species.

How do they communicate?

Garibaldi damselfishes, like all the other species of fish, use pheromones for communication.  Pheromones are chemical signals secreted from their body. They can perceive these signals to gain information about their environment.

How big is a garibaldi damselfish?

A garibaldi damselfish is a medium-sized fish. These fishes can grow up to be around 15 in (38 cm) long.

How fast can a garibaldi damselfish swim?

The speed with which a garibaldi damselfish, native to the Pacific Ocean, can swim is currently unknown.

How much does a garibaldi damselfish weigh?

A garibaldi damselfish can weigh up to 2 lb (0.9 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

No specific names are assigned to the males and females of the garibaldi damselfish species. They are known as male and female garibaldi damselfishes, respectively.

What would you call a baby garibaldi damselfish?

A baby garibaldi damselfish is called a juvenile. A juvenile has many blue spots on the body, which it loses with time.

What do they eat?

Garibaldi damselfishes are carnivorous fishes. Their food source is marine invertebrates such as sea stars, worms, shrimps, sea anemones, sponges. They also eat small shellfish and marine fishes.

Are they aggressive?

Garibaldi damselfishes are a very territorial species. They get very aggressive with whoever enters their territory. They defend their territory by fighting.

Would they make a good pet?

If you want to keep them as a pet, they must be kept in solidarity. They can grow very big and require large aquariums. It might not be possible to have huge aquariums inside houses. Hence, the garibaldi damselfish is not an ideal pet.

Did you know...

The garibaldi damselfish is one of fishes that are not a suitable food source for humans, for they are protected under law.

Naming the garibaldi damselfish

Guiseppi Garibaldi was the name of a famous army person. That’s how this fish gets its name as garibaldi damselfish.

Why is the garibaldi damselfish protected?

The garibaldi damselfish is the official marine state fish of the state of California. That is why they are protected on the Baja California coasts.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these Mandarin fish facts and glowlight rasbora facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable garibaldi damselfish coloring pages.