Chromis nitida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chromis nitida |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chromis
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| Species: |
nitida
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| Synonyms | |
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Tetradrachmum nitidum Whitley, 1928 |
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The Barrier Reef chromis (Chromis nitida) is a small, colorful fish. It is also called the yellowback puller or shining puller. This fish belongs to the damselfish family. You can find it living off the east coast of Australia. It has a yellowish-brown back. A dark stripe separates this from its shiny, silver sides and belly.
Contents
What Does the Barrier Reef Chromis Look Like?
The yellowback puller is a small fish. It can grow up to about 9 centimeters (3.5 inches) long. It has one main fin on its back. This fin has thirteen stiff spines and eleven to thirteen soft rays. The fin on its underside has two spines and ten or eleven soft rays.
A dark line runs across its body. It goes from its eye to the back of its top fin. Above this line, the fish is yellowish-brown. Below the line, it is bright and silvery. Its tail fin is deeply forked, like a "V" shape. The top and bottom edges of the tail are black.
Where Does the Barrier Reef Chromis Live?
The yellowback puller lives in the warm waters off eastern Australia. Its home stretches from northern Queensland to southern New South Wales. It also lives near Lord Howe Island.
You can find these fish about 5 to 25 meters (16 to 82 feet) deep. They like the outer parts of rocky reefs. These reefs are full of coral. Sometimes, they also live in estuaries, which are where rivers meet the sea. Young fish, and even some adults, can be found in calm lagoons.
How Does the Barrier Reef Chromis Live?
The yellowback puller loves to swim in groups. These groups are called "shoals." They often swim with another fish called the black-axil chromis.
These fish eat different things. They munch on algae, which are like tiny water plants. They also eat zooplankton, which are tiny animals floating in the water. Small invertebrates, like tiny worms or insects, are also part of their diet.
When it's time to breed, male and female chromis form pairs. The female lays eggs that stick to the seabed. The male fish then guards these eggs. He also keeps them clean and makes sure they get enough fresh water.
Sometimes, a tiny creature called an isopod can attach to the yellowback puller. This isopod is a type of crustacean. It's called Anilocra pomacentri. Scientists have noticed that the size of the parasite often matches the size of the fish. This suggests that the baby isopod attaches to the fish when both are very young. Then, they grow bigger together.
Keeping Barrier Reef Chromis in an Aquarium
The yellowback puller can be a great addition to a reef aquarium. This is a special fish tank that looks like a coral reef. You can feed them tiny brine shrimps and mysid shrimps.
Since these fish like to live in groups, it's best to keep a small shoal of them. They are not aggressive fish. This means they get along well with many other types of fish in the tank.
See also
In Spanish: Chromis nitida para niños
