Blacksmith chromis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blacksmith chromis |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chromis
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| Species: |
punctipinnis
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| Synonyms | |
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Ayresia punctipinnis J.G. Cooper, 1863 |
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The blacksmith fish (scientific name: Chromis punctipinnis) is a cool type of fish. It's also called the blacksmith chromis or blacksmith damselfish. This fish lives in the warm parts of the Pacific Ocean, off the coasts of California, USA, and Baja California, Mexico. You can often find these small fish hanging out around rocky reefs and in kelp forests.
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What Does a Blacksmith Fish Look Like?
The blacksmith fish can grow up to about 25 centimeters (10 inches) long. Its body is blue-black, and it has small black spots near its tail. The scales on its body are quite large. Its tail is shaped like a fork. Young blacksmith fish look a bit different; they are blue-grey in the front and brownish-orange towards the back.
Where Do Blacksmith Fish Live and What Do They Eat?
Blacksmith Fish Habitat
These fish live in the ocean at depths of up to 46 meters (150 feet). They usually stay close to the sea floor, often near rocks or on underwater slopes. They also love to live in kelp forests, which are like underwater forests made of tall seaweed.
What's on the Menu for Blacksmith Fish?
Blacksmith fish eat a variety of things. Their diet includes tiny marine algae (like underwater plants) and small sea creatures called zooplankton. Zooplankton are often microscopic animals that drift in the water.
How Do Blacksmith Fish Behave?
At night, blacksmith fish rest inside rocky cracks and holes to stay safe. They are known to be quite territorial, which means they protect their space. Even though they are small, they can act aggressively towards other fish that come too close.
Young blacksmith fish, called juveniles, live in the open water and swim together in large groups called schools. Blacksmith fish also have a special relationship with another fish called the señorita fish. This is a type of symbiosis, where two different species help each other. When a blacksmith fish feels like it needs a cleaning, it will turn its body so it's straight up and down. This allows the señorita fish to clean off any parasites or dirt from its body.
How Do Blacksmith Fish Have Babies?
Blacksmith fish lay their eggs during the summer and autumn months. The male fish first cleans a spot for the nest. Then, he guides a female fish to this nesting site. After the female lays her eggs, the male blacksmith fish stays to guard them. He protects the eggs until they hatch.
