School of Blacksmith on the Peacock Wreck, offshore of Anacapa Island
The blacksmith (Chromis punctipinnis), also known as the blacksmith chromis and blacksmith damselfish, is a species of fish in the damselfish family. It is native to the subtropical northeastern Pacific Ocean, where it range is from Monterey Bay, California, USA, to central Baja California, Mexico.[2] This small fish is associated with rocky reefs and kelp forests.[2]
Description
The blacksmith can reach 25 centimetres (10 in) in length.[2] It is blue-black in color with small black spots towards the tail. The scales are large. The tail is forked. The juvenile is two-toned with a blue-grey front and a brownish-orange rear.
Ecology
Habitat
The fish lives at depths up to 46 metres (151 ft), usually close to the sea floor, over rocks, or on slopes. It also inhabits kelp forests.
The blacksmith rests in rocky crevices during the night. It is known to be territorial, and, although small, it acts aggressively toward other fish.[citation needed] Juveniles are pelagic and form schools.[citation needed] The blacksmith is symbiotic with the señorita.[citation needed] When it feels that it is starting to deteriorate in hygiene it will turn until it is perpendicular to the ground, allowing the señorita to clean it.[citation needed]
Reproduction
The blacksmith spawns during summer and autumn.[citation needed] The male cleans a nesting site, then herds a female to it. After spawning, the male guards the eggs until they hatch.
