Azurina cyanea

Lore & Background

The blue chromis is a shallow-water fish commonly found at depths of 3 to 5 m, though it can reach depths of 25 m and has been recorded at 60 m. It lives on the surface of reefs but often swims in the water columns above the reefs to feed on plankton. It is a rather solitary species, seen alone or in small groups, and tends to stay close to the reefs. Younger fish stay near the bottom to avoid predators. Males maintain a solitary breeding territory; after breeding with multiple females, they guard the eggs until the planktonic larvae hatch.

Reader's Guide

The blue chromis is largely collected for use in aquariums, though there are no reliable numbers on the extent of this collecting. Damselfish as a group make up the most intensely collected fish group, accounting for almost half of the aquarium trade. Besides the intense aquarium trade, the rapid expansion of lionfish in the Caribbean and the Atlantic coast is the greatest threat to the blue chromis, as well as several other tropical fish native to the Caribbean. Furthermore, the loss of live corals could have a definite impact on the species, though this has yet to be investigated more closely. Despite appearing only within an area of 2,500,000 km², it is considered abundant within that area, without any known continuous decline in range or population numbers. It is assessed as 'Least Concern' by the IUCN, but a deeper study is required to measure the impact of the decline in habitat quality in the Caribbean on the species.

Did You Know?

• It has been recorded at a depth of 60 m.
• Damselfish make up almost half of the aquarium trade.