Home · Pomacentridae · Paletail chromis
Paletail chromis (Chromis xanthura) — Pomacentridae

Paletail chromis

Chromis xanthura
Family: Pomacentridae
LC · Least Concern

The Paletail chromis (Chromis xanthura) is a saltwater fish of the family Pomacentridae that grows up to 17 cm.

Length
17 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–40.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Large groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The paletail chromis is a damselfish from the western Pacific, from southern Japan to Australia and Tonga. The species grows to about 17 cm and has a dark grey to black body with a conspicuously paler, yellowish-white tail; juveniles have blue tones in the fins. Adults form large groups that hover several metres above the reef and pick zooplankton from the current. The fish is harmless to humans and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Paletail chromis?

The Paletail chromis has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Paletail chromis live?

The Paletail chromis lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Paletail chromis get?

The Paletail chromis grows to a maximum of about 17 cm.

Is the Paletail chromis dangerous to humans?

No, the Paletail chromis is harmless to humans.

Is the Paletail chromis edible?

The Paletail chromis is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bleekstaart-chromis verified
English name
Paletail chromis verified
Scientific name
Chromis xanthura
Family
Pomacentridae
Other names
Black chromis; Damselfish; Long-tail puller verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
17.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
40.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Large groups sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Chromis

More from the family Pomacentridae

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