A turquoise cloud above the coral can vanish into its branches in an instant.
- Local names
- 'Atoti
About this species
An almond-shaped body, a deeply forked tail and colours ranging from turquoise blue to pale green distinguish this small damselfish. It stays closely associated with living coral. Its abundance can reflect suitable coral habitat, though the presence of one species alone does not measure reef health.
Territorial but social, chromis form dense colonies that may contain up to a hundred fish. When danger appears, the group tightens around its shelter.
The fish feeds on both plant and animal plankton and can select individual particles from the water. Observations cited in the original guide describe feeding strikes succeeding about nine times out of ten; that is an observation under particular conditions, not a fixed rate for every fish.
- Guide des poissons de Tahiti et ses îles, Indo-Pacific Fish conference Tahiti 2017, P. Bachet, T. Zysman, Y. Lefèvre, Au vent des îles
- DORIS - Chromis viridis
- FishBase - Chromis viridis
