Dischistodus chrysopoecilus
A small, territorial damsel logged across Sabah, Peninsular Malaysia and the Visayas in warm 27-29C reef water, year-round.
A stocky little damselfish around 10 cm, with a dark brownish-grey body scattered with small pale to white spots that give it its name. The spotting is denser toward the tail and can look almost dusted-on under a torch beam. Its body shape is the classic damselfish oval, deep-bodied and slightly flattened, with a small mouth built for picking at algae rather than chasing prey.
Expect to find it hovering low over rubble patches and shallow reef flats, sticking close to a patch of turf algae or coral rubble it treats as home turf. It is typically logged as uncommon at most sites, so divers usually spot one or two individuals rather than a shoal, though a smaller number of sites report it as a common, easy find. Like most damselfish it holds its ground rather than bolting, darting out briefly if a diver drifts too close before settling back onto its patch.
Damselfish in this genus are known for tending small patches of algae on the reef, chasing off grazers and even nipping at passing fish or fins that stray too close to their turf.
No clear seasonal pattern shows up in the sightings, and with a comfortable range of 27.7 to 29.3C it stays active on tropical reefs year-round, so any month works for a dive trip aimed at it.
Reef neighbours a diver could mistake it for. Use the identification notes above to tell them apart.
Most reliably logged in Malaysia, with strong numbers across Sabah and the Peninsular Malaysia East Coast, and it also turns up widely in the Philippines, especially the Visayas and Mindanao. In Indonesia it has been recorded across Java, Nusa Tenggara, Raja Ampat and Bali, though in smaller numbers than the Malaysian sites.
Mapping where White-spot Damsel is logged…
It is most often logged in Malaysia, particularly Sabah and the Peninsular Malaysia East Coast, and is also a regular find across the Philippine Visayas and Mindanao, with scattered records through Indonesian sites like Java and Raja Ampat.
There is no strong seasonal signal in the sightings, and its preferred water temperature of roughly 27.7 to 29.3C holds year-round on the reefs where it lives, so it can be found on any dive trip regardless of month.
Look for a small, deep-bodied damselfish about 10 cm long, dark grey-brown overall with a scattering of pale spots across the body. It sits low over rubble or reef flats and holds its position rather than fleeing when a diver approaches.
It stays small, reaching around 10 cm in length, which is typical for damselfish in this family.
No. It poses no real risk to divers beyond the odd territorial nip if you linger right over its patch of reef, which is easily avoided by giving it a bit of space.
Like many damselfish, it actively tends a patch of algae on the reef, chasing off other grazing fish that try to move in on its turf.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
Yellowtail Clownfish
3,523 sites
