Scissortail Chromis: The Reef's Hovering Cloud

Float over the reef and look up into the blue — those shimmering little fish hanging in a loose cloud, each with a sharply forked tail, are scissortail chromis. Here's how to spot them near Jacó, plus five fun facts.

Scissortail Chromis · Azurina atrilobata

How to spot the scissortail chromis near Jacó

Look just above the reef and out into open water, where scissortail chromis hover in loose schools to feed. They're small and silvery-gray with a deeply forked, 'scissor' tail. The whole group drifts up and down together as it picks food from the current.

5 fun facts about the scissortail chromis

• Named for that forked tail. The deeply split, scissor-like tail gives this chromis both its common name and its quick, flicking swimming style.
• A plankton picker. Unlike its territorial damselfish cousins, it feeds on tiny drifting plankton rather than farming algae.
• Schools for safety. It hangs in loose midwater clouds, where many eyes and quick turns help the group avoid predators.
• A damselfish at heart. Despite its open-water habits, the scissortail chromis belongs to the same family as the feisty reef damsels.
• Eastern Pacific native. It's found along the Pacific coast of the Americas, often in big numbers on productive reefs.

The scissortail chromis is just one of many characters down there. See the whole cast in our Snorkel Jaco fish directory, or read real guest photos and reviews on the Snorkel Jaco reviews.