Blue-green Chromis

[Afrashz]

Hey guys,

So I have a 75 g that I’ve been running for a few months now and have started to slowly stock fish. I have a pair of clowns and have been quarantining 2 blue Chromis. Unfortunately, one of the Chromis died after about 3 weeks in quarantine. I’m assuming it was a bullying issue as the water levels are all fine. My question is, would it be okay to put one Chromis in with the 2 clowns? Or would it be better to wait and get more? Thanks for any input!!

 

[nereefpat]

A single chromis will be just fine. A lot of the time, it ends up that way anyhow.

 

[Afrashz]

A single chromis will be just fine. A lot of the time, it ends up that way anyhow.

Interesting, why is that?

 

[DangerDave]

I hear that all of the time, and don't believe it. I currently have 11 in my DT with a bunch of anthias for a year and a half with no issues. Another 4 in my frag tank with a wrasse and tomini tang for about a year.

 

[Phycodurus]

blue-green chromis have a reputation for picking each other off unfortunately. blue reef chromis (Chromis cyaneus) do the same thing.

twice i’ve stocked my 180G tank with nearly a dozen chromis and the group inevitably dwindles down to 2-3 fish. ;Dead

 

[nereefpat]

Interesting, why is that?

Many folks report them picking each other off.

 

[nereefpat]

I hear that all of the time, and don't believe it. I currently have 11 in my DT with a bunch of anthias for a year and a half with no issues. Another 4 in my frag tank with a wrasse and tomini tang for about a year.

There are multiple posts on each of these threads reporting several->->->1.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-battle-of-green-chromis.355526/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/blue-green-chromis.288243/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/chromis.570055/

 

[Afrashz]

There are multiple posts on each of these threads reporting several->->->1.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-battle-of-green-chromis.355526/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/blue-green-chromis.288243/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/chromis.570055/

Weird, never knew that, should I be concerned with it picking on my clowns?

 

[DangerDave]

There are multiple posts on each of these threads reporting several->->->1.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-battle-of-green-chromis.355526/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/blue-green-chromis.288243/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/chromis.570055/

Yes, I've seen many posts about it. What I haven seen in tanks is chromis doing this yet in my tanks or my friends tanks.

 

[Mr Fishface]

I think the mostly pick on each other, not other fish. I wouldnt worry about clowns, they could hold their own against a chromis.

 

[EmilyXLC]

I had the same thing happen-- I had 3 and they slowly just beat each other to death, but they never attempted to bother my pair of Clowns.

 

[LesPoissons]

They won't bother your clowns, they only bother each other. Mine didnt start fighting till about 2+ years but then we went 6 to 4 to 3 (and I'm pretty sure it will be 2 soon) pretty quickly. Tried to add more to disperse aggression, but that was a quick end to the new guys.

 

[erk]

I've tried to keep shoals of chromis several times and they do typically die out. I attribute this to mainly not providing the correct husbandry.

Chromis are a pelagic species that feed suspended, near microscopic particles in the water column. They are almost always eating, very much like anthias. This is probably why people that are successful with anthias can also be successful with chromis. The dynamics of shoal life are working against you when keeping large groups of chromis. The dominate male will continue to try to keep the others in line and stop them transitioning. This means constant picking and there is a hierarchy that has to be maintained. So the smallest/weakest is going to be picked at the most. If you aren't feeding enough, then the weakest will eventually die. Then the next in line and so on until you have 1 or maybe 2 left.

So if you want to be successful at keeping chromis, feed a diet of small particle plankton/phytoplankton on a near continuous basis. Also make sure that there isn't too much competition for the chromis. Small shoal of chromis in a smaller tank and no other aggressive pelagic feeders or have a larger tank to house small shoals of different pelagic feeders. All comes down to method and husbandry.

 

[DangerDave]

I've tried to keep shoals of chromis several times and they do typically die out. I attribute this to mainly not providing the correct husbandry.

Chromis are a pelagic species that feed suspended, near microscopic particles in the water column. They are almost always eating, very much like anthias. This is probably why people that are successful with anthias can also be successful with chromis. The dynamics of shoal life are working against you when keeping large groups of chromis. The dominate male will continue to try to keep the others in line and stop them transitioning. This means constant picking and there is a hierarchy that has to be maintained. So the smallest/weakest is going to be picked at the most. If you aren't feeding enough, then the weakest will eventually die. Then the next in line and so on until you have 1 or maybe 2 left.

So if you want to be successful at keeping chromis, feed a diet of small particle plankton/phytoplankton on a near continuous basis. Also make sure that there isn't too much competition for the chromis. Small shoal of chromis in a smaller tank and no other aggressive pelagic feeders or have a larger tank to house small shoals of different pelagic feeders. All comes down to method and husbandry.

Interesting thought there. The 11 Chromis in my display are in there with 15 anthias (three different species). They eat at LRS twice a day, and I mix in hatched brine shrimp, and some other alternating dried foods in another daily feeding.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Fish are like people I think. Some work together, some don’t.

I have 2 anthias and 5 chromis in my tank. They pretty much school together. I think like Dave mentioned food may help. I feed lots of black worms and freshly frozen clams. No one goes hungry and plenty of room in my 180. The male and female anthias get along as well, for the most part.

But there’s always trouble makers.