The Garibaldi or Garibaldi damselfish (Hypsypops rubicundus) is a fish of the damselfish family that is native to the north-eastern subtropical parts of the Pacific Ocean, ranging from Monterey Bay to Guadalupe Island, Baja California. It is the official marine state fish of California and is protected in California coastal waters. It is frequently seen off Santa Catalina Island, California. It is also the mascot of the Georgia Aquarium.
Garibaldis are renowned for their brilliant orange color and grow up to 30 cm (12 in) in length. They live at depths of up to 30 meters (100 ft), usually in association with reefs and typically over rocky sea-bottoms. They feed mainly on invertebrates that they remove from the rocks. Adult Garibaldis maintain a home territory. The male clears a sheltered nest site within his territory, and the female then deposits eggs within the nest. The male subsequently guards the nest until the eggs hatch after 19-21 days.
An interesting feature of the Garabaldi is the ability to change its sex throughout its lifetime. This process is prompted when the ratio of males to females is out of balance. Garabaldis of the over-represented gender will change in order to make up the deficit. This process can be undergone multiple times by the same fish.
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