Chromis issue, Opinions please.

TangerineSpeedo · Oct 28, 2023

I have had 5 Chromis in my softie tank for about 5+ months now. When they were first put in they would school in the center, swimming toward the power head. As I filled the tank with more corals they disappeared notably when I added a 14 head branching frammer. So as in nature they all had a place to hide. All would come out for feeding times. Lately the two smallest ones I have found swimming rapidly in the upper corners like a Dunce in school. I put them in an acclimation box with a hide and made sure they were eating. During this time they stopped the behavior. After a few days I just lowered the box a bit and let them swim out on their own time. They both went back to hiding amongst the corals. Today one was back at it. I decided to put him in the frag tank. I set him in the acclimation box in the frag tank and he stopped the behavior just like before. There is no visible aggression in the tank. The only thing I can think of is, I do have a chameleon wrasse that is getting bigger and while he is a spaz and doesn’t pick on anyone, I am sure at night he has his pick of where he wants to sleep. My main concern is when they exhibit this behavior they do not seem to eat.
Has anyone else who has kept Chromis seen this behavior before?

blaxsun · Oct 28, 2023

Yes, when I had a large chip's acropora at least half the chromis would enjoy hiding out in it (I have another 40 fish, and zero aggression). I've also seen them in the corners by the return outlets at night. I think they like those spots because it's very low flow so they can just "hang".

TangerineSpeedo · Oct 28, 2023

blaxsun said:
Yes, when I had a large chip's acropora at least half the chromis would enjoy hiding out in it (I have another 40 fish, and zero aggression). I've also seen them in the corners by the return outlets at night. I think they like those spots because it's very low flow so they can just "hang".

Thanks for that... I was just talking about how I felt it was going well with my Chromis, considering they don't seem to last or until the last one anyway. I felt since I feed a few times a day and they have plenty of habitat, they may have a leg up or fin to be precise...

Reefering1 · Oct 28, 2023

I have 7 chromis for 3 years, if any are outcasted from the group its always because I'm not feeding enough. They seem to pick on the weakest one. Feed more, the outcast feels better and leaves the corner.

TangerineSpeedo · Oct 28, 2023

Reefering1 said:
I have 7 chromis for 3 years, if any are outcasted from the group its always because I'm not feeding enough. They seem to pick on the weakest one. Feed more, the outcast feels better and leaves the corner.

That's what I was thinking at first, and it still may be the issue. But I am not seeing the aggression, and I feed 3 times a day and all seem to get food. Unless one is in the corner.
I will definitely give more food a shot! Unfortunately, I started to feed flake to raise my phosphates and they prefer that. The MacDonalds of fish food...

Reefering1 · Oct 28, 2023

Maybe a bit more at each feeding will help, that way its spread all over the tank. Idk, I read about people having issues with groups of chromis, I never experienced any issues with them unless I slack on consistent feeding for weeks at a time. Them feed more and everyone is happy again. Same with anthias

littlefoxx · Oct 28, 2023

TangerineSpeedo said:
I have had 5 Chromis in my softie tank for about 5+ months now. When they were first put in they would school in the center, swimming toward the power head. As I filled the tank with more corals they disappeared notably when I added a 14 head branching frammer. So as in nature they all had a place to hide. All would come out for feeding times. Lately the two smallest ones I have found swimming rapidly in the upper corners like a Dunce in school. I put them in an acclimation box with a hide and made sure they were eating. During this time they stopped the behavior. After a few days I just lowered the box a bit and let them swim out on their own time. They both went back to hiding amongst the corals. Today one was back at it. I decided to put him in the frag tank. I set him in the acclimation box in the frag tank and he stopped the behavior just like before. There is no visible aggression in the tank. The only thing I can think of is, I do have a chameleon wrasse that is getting bigger and while he is a spaz and doesn’t pick on anyone, I am sure at night he has his pick of where he wants to sleep. My main concern is when they exhibit this behavior they do not seem to eat.
Has anyone else who has kept Chromis seen this behavior before?

My 3 didbt eat corals at all when I kept corals in their tank

blaxsun · Oct 28, 2023

My chromis get 3x pellet feedings every day plus 2x frozen. A happy chromis is a fed chromis!

blecki · Oct 28, 2023

Does sound like the group rejected them. Sometimes feeding more is enough to keep the ostracized fish alive but not enough to make the others accept his existence again.

Once they start to pair off they get even less predictable.