Do you even Chromis Bro?

[B7Joe]

I had three that where doing very well and made the big mistake of adding a few more. All went downhill from there. They didn’t seem aggressive toward each other but all died in the span of a few days. Won’t try that again. I’ve seen some very large ones in a LFS display that are awesome and have been there quite a while. I was given the same advice later. In fact, LFS doesn’t even bring them in unless someone requests them.

 

[Ben Pedersen]

I have had 4 in an 80 gallon for more than three years. Three female and one male. They spawn a couple times a month.

I have started with 10-12 of them 3 times over the past 10 years. Each time I ended up with 4 supper healthy mature chromis. In my experince, tank size and food availability governs how many you can have in a tank.

 

[WVNed]

my chromis hang out with my anthias. I see no agression.

I am probably doing it wrong

 

[saltyhog]

my chromis hang out with my anthias. I see no agression.

I am probably doing it wrong

That's awesome....they have an identity crisis! ;Smuggrin

 

[Deezill]

That's awesome....they have an identity crisis! ;Smuggrin

Lol

 

[Deezill]

All the threads here definitely confirm my experience. I doubt if I purchase 15.

 

[Deezill]

I think I might try anthias.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Bro, in college I hit chromis pretty hard. People always knew I had a little chromis to share. Now that I am older, have more responsibility, and more money, I just dont see the draw of chromis anymore.

 

[Steve Elb]

Ok folks, before I order 15 Chromis, I want to know who has had multiple Chromis in their tank for a year or more. I have been doing research and before I even start QT I am worried about uronema that these guys have. So if you have Chromis let me know how long you have had them. I think they would make great Shoaling fish.

I've had 6 for 10 months. No problems. I enjoy watching them shoal. Just keep em fed

 

[ScottR]

I’ve got 4 in a 40 gallon. Started with 6 and two died within a couple weeks. 4 left for around 9 months now. Never had uronema. They play nice with each other but when they were newly introduced, they would pick on each other.

 

[Terri Caton]

Yup. 4 of them. Whenever I saw them starting to fight I just fed them! They need to be fed multiple times a day.

Haven’t seen aggression for a while now.

 

[robottaway]

Forgot to mention that caves seem very important. When getting settled mine would hide from each other when things got tense and they all had their little caves even the top dog. Another thing I think I failed to mention is all 3 will not only group up and swim about they will swarm around my clown and even the banghai. They do get a bit bitchy sometimes but with the caves and hiding holes they will give themselves time outs as required.

 

[Daddy-o]

Picked up 8 last week, today I have 2.
NEVER AGAIN!!
Cheers! Mark

 

[jace]

I haven't had lucky myself 5 became 1

 

[DangerDave]

You’ll have no problem with 15. The more you have the more spread out the social aggression is. I’ve also found that having a shoal of anthias will also help. Their social aggression seems to be enough to suppress the chromis. I think 5 lyretails would work well. They are nice and hardy and will add color. Feed at least twice a day...

 

[JATReef]

I love Chromis because I spent a lot of time watching them in the wild growing up (my family are from Mauritius). They definitely do 'School' in the wild, but they school in very large groups, upwards of 500 fish at times and are very active on the reef, and feeding regularly, even then they seem to squabble! In our tanks that becomes a greater issue.

Even so when started my first Reef I had to have these fish due to them being a large reason I fell in love with coral reefs as a kid. I started with 5 in a 60G about 3 years ago, and now have only 2, these two get along well but with a very definite dominant fish, they do swim together almost all the time though and would love to have a larger group in a bigger tank one day. But as has been mentioned on this thread already its very hit or miss, but definitely can be done.

In my personal experience they do better and fight less when they are fed regularly (4-5 times per day), are housed in a large tank and have also found that they are calmer when fed small live foods (copepods etc) regularly as this stimulates their natural feeding responses.

 

[Deezill]

Picked up 8 last week, today I have 2.
NEVER AGAIN!!
Cheers! Mark

man I had to laugh when i saw this lol. I'm sorry for your loss but the way you said it. (so to speak)

 

[Deezill]

You’ll have no problem with 15. The more you have the more spread out the social aggression is. I’ve also found that having a shoal of anthias will also help. Their social aggression seems to be enough to suppress the chromis. I think 5 lyretails would work well. They are nice and hardy and will add color. Feed at least twice a day...

I currently have 3 lyretail and I love them.

 

[DangerDave]

Edit - quoted wrong person lol

 

[DangerDave]

Picked up 8 last week, today I have 2.
NEVER AGAIN!!
Cheers! Mark

this is way to common but it’s not from aggression, it’s from stress and disease.