ScottR
Surfing....
One of the things I hear reefers mention the most is, their trouble with keeping chromis. Eventually they pick off the weakest members and kill them until only one is left. However, my experience is different. Sure they do show aggression towards each other. But what fish don't? I can’t keep 2 blennys together. Wrasses always wrestle. Tangs always fight. Even clowns can be aggressive to their own. So chromis are no exception.
Currently I have 8 chromis. 4 of which I’ve had for almost 2 years. 4 others were added a couple of months ago. The 8 of them now are pretty calm. Chromis aren’t schooling fish but shoaling rather. If you’ve ever seen them in the ocean, they swim together in the thousands. The reason they shoal is for protection from predators, like many fish do. Now in a tank where other aggressive fish are kept, chromis have no choice but to do what they do in the wild: stick together.
Like most fish do, chromis immediately swim into their hiding places as soon as the lights kick off. It is important to make sure that they have plenty of hiding places. Each fish will stay in its own little space until the lights come back on. Lots of rock and reef will provide a safe haven for them. Some will even sleep in branching corals.
I think when many people think of keeping too many fish, they think it’s because it causes a nutrient overdose. While this is one reason, ample swimming room, access to food, hiding places, tank size and sleeping quarters should also be kept in mind. Happy reefing.
Currently I have 8 chromis. 4 of which I’ve had for almost 2 years. 4 others were added a couple of months ago. The 8 of them now are pretty calm. Chromis aren’t schooling fish but shoaling rather. If you’ve ever seen them in the ocean, they swim together in the thousands. The reason they shoal is for protection from predators, like many fish do. Now in a tank where other aggressive fish are kept, chromis have no choice but to do what they do in the wild: stick together.
Like most fish do, chromis immediately swim into their hiding places as soon as the lights kick off. It is important to make sure that they have plenty of hiding places. Each fish will stay in its own little space until the lights come back on. Lots of rock and reef will provide a safe haven for them. Some will even sleep in branching corals.
I think when many people think of keeping too many fish, they think it’s because it causes a nutrient overdose. While this is one reason, ample swimming room, access to food, hiding places, tank size and sleeping quarters should also be kept in mind. Happy reefing.
