Blue-green damselfish
(Chromis viridis)
Facts
Facts about this animal
The blue puller is a small coral fish reaching a length of 9 cm. The overall body colour is greenish with a light bluish-green sheen to the scales and a blue line from eye to snout.
"Blue pullers", as they are called in parts of their range, are reef-dwelling fish often forming large groups that swim above branching corals (Acropora spp.). Juveniles stay close to individual coral heads and when threatened quickly retreat in the safety of the coral branches.
Blue-green damselfish breed on sand and rubble. The males prepare a nest for spawning which they share with several females. Large number of eggs are spawned, hatching in 2-3 days. The male guards the nest ventilating the fertilized eggs with its caudal fin and feeding on those eggs which do not hatch. Otherwise, green-blue damselfish feed on phytoplankton.
Did you know?
that nesting males of blöue-green damselfish change colour turning completely yellow?
| Factsheet | |
|---|---|
| Class | ACTINOPTERYGII |
| Order | PERCIFORMES |
| Suborder | LABROIDEI |
| Family | POMACENTRIDAE |
| Name (Scientific) | Chromis viridis |
| Name (English) | Blue-green damselfish |
| Name (French) | Demoiselle bleue |
| Name (German) | Grünes Schwalbenschwänzchen |
| Name (Spanish) | Damisela verde |
| Local names | Bahasa Indonesia: Betok hijau |
| CITES Status | Not listed |
| CMS Status | Not listed |
Distribution
| Distribution | |
|---|---|
| Range | Tropical Indo-Pacific from the East African coast to the islands of western Oceania |
| Habitat | Coral reefs |
| Wild population | Unknown |
| Zoo population | Considering that most publc aquaria are not part of the WAZA system and do not register their collections with ISIS, available ISIS data are not significant. |
In the Zoo
How this animal should be transported
For air transport, Container Note 51 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.
Fish must be unpacked carefully and under low illumination.
Find this animal on ZooLex
Why do zoos keep this animal
Blue-green damselfish are not an endangered species but their habitats, coral reefs, are threatened in many places. They are thus presented by zoos and aquariums as an ambassador species for reef protection.