blacksmith
Chromis punctipinnis
Blacksmith of rocky shores and kelp forests in the eastern Pacific, from California to central Baja California. It is caught in sport fishing and has good flesh.
Also called: castanheta-ferreiro, castanheta, castañeta herrera, blacksmith
- maximum
- 25 cm
- depth
- 2–46 m
who is the blacksmith
Fish of the family Pomacentridae, the damselfish group, with a laterally compressed body, reaching 25 cm. It lives in the eastern Pacific, from Monterey, California, to central Baja California, Mexico, from 2 to 46 m. Adults stay near the bottom, over rocks and sloping banks, and also in kelp forests, and at night they retreat into holes in the rocks. Juveniles form schools in open water. During breeding they form pairs: the eggs stick to the bottom, and the male guards and aerates them. It is caught in sport fishing and on a small commercial scale.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the blacksmith.
fun facts
- Males guard and aerate the eggs, which stick to the rocky bottom.
identification
Laterally compressed body, small mouth and forked tail, as in other damselfish. Adults stay next to rocks, especially on steep banks and in kelp forests, and at night they retreat into holes in the rocks. Juveniles form schools in open sea, away from the rocky shore. It belongs to the damselfish family, of reefs and rocky shores.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Eastern Pacific, from California to central Baja California, Mexico, on rocky shores and kelp beds.
Habitat: Rocky bottom and sloping banks, from 2 to 46 m, with kelp forests; juveniles in open sea.
rules for the blacksmith
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Harmless to people. A small rocky-shore fish: if you release it, do it quickly and with the fish in the water.
in the kitchen
It has good flesh to eat.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0123, b = 3.03; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Chromis punctipinnis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Chromis punctipinnisNames by country and language.