Garibaldi

How it lives

Wikipedia gives an average life span of about 12 years, while Aquarium of the Pacific says 20 to 30 years is typical. A 2022 study aged one fish at 57 years, the longest-lived damselfish known by two decades. Adults are bright orange and juveniles are reddish orange with iridescent blue spots. They live over rocky reefs and kelp forests from the shallows to about 30 m. Breeding runs from March to July: the male clears and tends a nest on the reef, a female lays the eggs, and he guards and fans them until they hatch after about 19 to 21 days. Males defend a territory of about 3 to 10 square metres and may chase away intruders, including divers. Adults also gather in peaceful groups called kelp socials.

Where it goes

Garibaldi are very local. Males keep a nest territory year-round (Wikipedia), and Monterey Bay Aquarium describes permanent nesting territories on reefs. I did not find tagging studies on longer movements.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

It ranges from Monterey Bay, California, to Guadalupe Island and southern Baja California, Mexico. IUCN rates it Least Concern; Wikipedia dates the assessment to 2010 and FishBase to 2007. Aquarium of the Pacific describes the population as stable with fluctuations. Historically it was exploited by the aquarium trade. It became California's state marine fish in 1995, and taking it from California waters now needs a special permit. Warming seas could shift its range (Aquarium of the Pacific), and FishBase rates its vulnerability to fishing as moderate to high.