Black Axil Chromis

The Black Axil Chromis is easy to care for, beautiful, and peaceful. This member of the Pomacentridae family is most recognizable by its gorgeous light aqua dorsal side that slowly fades into a majestic iridescent green belly. Juveniles will lack the black blotch at the base of the pectoral fin often confusing the Black Axil Chromis with the Green Chromis (C.viridis). Once the Black Axil Chromis begins to mature the black blotch will appear. The Black Axil Chromis is desirable not only for its beauty, but also for its peaceful demeanor and ability to be kept with almost all other community fish, invertebrates, and corals. 

The Black Axil Chromis prefer to school in large shoals in clear lagoons, passages and seaward reef slopes. They will swim amongst branching corals like Acropora and will actively swim at all levels of the aquarium water column. In fact, small schools of the Black Axil Chromis add a dazzling and dramatic shimmer of beauty to almost any larger, well-established reef system. 

Overall, the Black Axil Chromis is very hardy and can live between 8 to 15 years in aquariums with excellent water quality. For best care, feed several times throughout the day with a varied diet of meaty foods, herbivore flakes, and frozen preparations. Vitamin-enriched foods may also help to preserve body colorations. 

Some aquarists have successfully bred the Black Axil Chromis in the home aquarium. Interestingly, the body colour of mature males, ready to nest, changes to a muted yellow colour. However, breeding success requires perfect water parameters in only the largest of non-predatory aquarium systems.