Chromis cyanea (Poey, 1860)

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

Chromis cyanea (Poey, 1860), also referred to as Azurina cyanea and commonly known as blue chromis, is a damselfish species that belongs to the subfamily Pomacentrinae.

Distribution Range

Its natural range covers Bermuda, southern Florida, and the Caribbean Sea.

Depth Habitat

This is a shallow water fish species. Blue chromis are most commonly found at depths between 3 and 5 meters, though they can occur at depths up to 25 meters, and one individual has been recorded at 60 meters.

Feeding Behavior

They live on reef surfaces, but frequently swim into the water columns above reefs to feed on plankton.

Aquarium Trade Collection

Blue chromis is collected primarily for the aquarium trade. No reliable data exists on the total volume of blue chromis collection for this purpose.

Aquarium Trade Significance

However, damselfish as a group are the most intensely collected fish for the aquarium trade, accounting for almost half of all fish collected for the aquarium trade.