Blue Chromis
Azurina cyanea
Blue Chromis is a small reef-dwelling damselfish commonly seen schooling above shallow coral and rocky reefs. It feeds on plankton in the water column and is not a target game fish in most areas.
Identification points
- Bright uniform blue body with a paler belly
- Small, slender damselfish shape with a deeply forked tail
- Often seen schooling just above coral heads or reef ledges
Habitat
Tropical Indo-Pacific coral reefs, reef slopes, and surge-exposed rocky reef edges, typically in clear shallow water above branching corals or ledges.
Bait notes
Rarely targeted; small plankton-imitating flies, tiny jigs, or micro soft plastics may draw strikes, but most anglers encounter it incidentally while reef fishing.
Behavior
Forms loose to dense midwater schools and picks zooplankton from the current. It is alert, fast-moving, and uses the reef as shelter when disturbed.
Caution
Reef species should not be assumed safe for consumption everywhere; local ciguatera risk rules apply in some tropical reef regions. Follow local reef-fishing regulations and avoid unnecessary reef contact.
Fishing notes
If targeted at all, fish very small presentations in the water column around reef edges and current seams. Light tackle and minimal sink rate work best; it is more often observed than fished for.