 |
|
| Home | Marine Aquariums |
Freshwater Aquariums |
Planted Aquariums |
Brackish Systems |
Ponds,
lakes & fountains |
Turtles & Amphibians |
Aquatic Business |
Aquatic Science |
Ask the WWM Crew a Question |
| Please visit our Sponsors | ||||
Final additions to tank
10/18/14
Fish dynamics. Easily over and mis-stocking a small marine
sys. Apogonid f' stkg./sel., Chromis as well
2/10/14 Chromis iomelas - Half-and-half Chromis or Chromis dimidiata...
1/14/13 Chromis viridis, stkg. 4/22/12
blue/green Chromis. Hlth.. & stkg/sel
f' 6/25/11 Chromis Stocking Procedure, & Clown
comp. 1/7/11 My Allard clowns seem to have killed my green
Chromis, 12/7/10 Just a quick stocking question.
11/14/10 Good stocking list?
7/6/10 What Killed The Chromis? Mystery death 5/28/10...
env. Green Chromis and Peppermint Shrimp Questions,
stkg. sm. SW -- 04/03/10 Chromis (Not for small systems) --
11/22/09 How Many Chromis For A 55? --
10/20/09 Re: How Many Chromis for a 55? & Apogonid
sel. f' -- 10/21/09 Chromis cyaneus, Blue Chromis dying: Chromis
Health\Disease Little useful information: 10/1/2009 Question About Genus Chromis of Different Species, sel., beh. 1/10/09 Hello, <Wes> I've recently set up my new tank and am looking for the last couple of fish to add to it. I have two Chromis virdis currently and would like to add a couple more fish from the same genus, but, perhaps a different species so that there will be some more color to the tank. Related to that, I have a few questions: <How large is this tank? Shape?> 1) Will Chromis from different species school together or is it best to stick to just one species? <Some species do associate in the wild and in captivity, particularly with C. viridis> 2) I've read that Chromis cyanea are difficult to keep and that they get mean when they get older. <Mmm, these are relative terms/measures... I rate C. cyanea pretty low relatively on being difficult to keep and mean... amongst Damsels, marine fishes period... maybe they'd get a 3 or so on a scale of 10 IME> I've found Chromis insolata and Chromis limbaughi to be listed as peaceful and easy-to-care for fish, but wanted to see if you have any further input on these different species. <Have seen and kept both of these... and they are actually slightly both higher on the improvised scale mentioned above... and not great schoolers to boot> As always, thanks in advance for all you folks do! Wes <Again... I do wish you had mentioned the size, shape of this system, the other livestock, perhaps the gear... I might look to other families of fishes period to mix with the present Chromis... perhaps Anthiines, Apogonids... Bob Fenner> Re: Question About Genus Chromis of Different Species 01/10/09 Hi Bob, <Hello again Wes> Sorry - I forgot the most basic of information! I downsized from a 125G and so had to make some great cuts. The current tank is a 60G at 48" long with a 40 gallon sump. Basic equipment is a 1100 GPH return pump, two powerheads, phos reactor and a skimmer rated for a 150. <Ahh, this system is too small volume-wise to accommodate a "school" of damsels of any species> Current livestock are one each of Ctenochaetus tominiensis, Zebrasoma flavescens (I recognize it will likely outgrow the tank and have to be moved out; however, is a leftover from the 125), Amphiprion ocellaris, Halichoeres melanurus, Gramma loreto and the two C virdis. It is a reef system with a lot of softies and a few LPS. Based on this stocking, I think I might have room for two, maybe three fish that would stay relatively small but be pugnacious enough to compete for food. The tank looks good now, not busy, each fish with plenty of room to swim and lots of hiding places, so want to keep that appearance. <I would not add any more fishes here period> Ideally I would like to add some blue to the tank which was the thought behind the C. cyanea; however, if there is a more suitable fish, I'm open to ideas! Thanks again, Wes <I wouldn't place more Pomacentrids, even of the same species present here... Too likely to be social/territorial issues all the way around... for this amount and shape of water you're "all filled up" fish-wise. BobF> Chromis aggressive - 07/19/08 We have four green chromis and two purple (look black) Chromis. We've had them all for over six months, no problems with them or with the other fish. All of a sudden one black chromis is continually chasing the other black one, they were both added to the tank at the same time when they were small. Is this an indication they might be wanting to breed, or?? One has the other hiding to get away from it. Marilee <Mmm, though, amongst Damselfish genera, species, Chromis tend to be "more mellow", there are individuals who are at times quite aggressive... Particularly when kept in too small settings, in too small groups... I'd likely trade in the more agonistic one here... unless you have room, desire to add several companions. Bob Fenner> Blue Green Chromis, sel., sys. 3/10/08 Hello Crew!!!!! Okay, here it goes. I have a 55 gallon reef tank with some mushrooms, leather, zoos, and polyps. Currently I have 10 Cerith snails, 5 Astrea snails, 2 tank raised common clowns, and a lawnmower blenny. Also have about 70-75 lbs of live rock. Readings are as follows: pH = 8.4, Nitrates = 5-10 ppm, Nitrites = 0, Ammonia = 0 <<All looks fine>> My question is............I REALLY want a school of blue green chromis. I was thinking 5 or 7. If this is all I put in my tank (other than what I already have), do you think it is possible? If not how many, and if none, what else would you suggest? <<Due to tank current stocking and size, 5 is the maximum i would go for...On that note though, i have always felt that Chromis do school better in numbers larger than 5... Don't know if that will influence your decision..>> <<Other suggestions would be goby's, blenny's, Firefish>> Thanks for all of your time and hard work. This site has helped me learn more than you could ever imagine about saltwater and reef keeping. Thanks again. Matt <<Thanks for the question. A Nixon>> Stocking question: Chromis in a 36G 3/2/08 Hello, <Ron> I have a stocking question on my system.? It is a 36 gallon aquarium (Tunze Nano skimmer, Emperor 280) that has been up and running for 8 months with the original inhabitants (1 small red legged hermit, 1 True Percula Clown), a few Nassarius snails and a Camel shrimp.? I have converted over from the original crushed coral to a shallow aragonite sand substrate and am switching over from the original red lava rocks to some Marco rock dead rock and will add live rock in the near future. I have recently acquired a small QT tank (12 gallon Eclipse) that has just finished cycling using a frozen shrimp. Looking for a new addition to be a peaceful, colorful and active addition.? I was considering a pair of Blue/Green Chromis as I like its attributes, but then began reading.? I believe three is too many for a 36G system, two is not preferred as odd numbers seem better to divide up any aggressions and a single one does not seem the best either for they prefer to be in numbers. <Is really too small period> Which of these (1,2,3) is the least of the evils, or would I be better off passing on the Chromis and going with another route?? Overall I will look for 3-4 fish total for the system, and would like all to be reef compatible should I eventually add a coral in there. <Mmm, depends on the species... I would avoid C. viridis et al. large number in schools types... Perhaps some more solitary Chrysiptera genus would be better...> Some others I am considering are: Royal Gramma, Firefish Goby, Fridmani Pseudochromis (although these seem pricey). <Please read re on WWM...> I would appreciate any suggestions you could make to the Chromis plan or another peaceful/lively combination. Thanks, Ron??? <Enjoy the research. Bob Fenner> Purple Chromis -02/20/08 Good evening crew, I was wondering if you guys know anything about Purple Chromis, Chromis scotti? <<Chromis scotti is correct>> The pictures I've seen of them are beautiful, but I can't find any good information on them. <<Basic info for you here then...A nice peaceful fish, very much the same as the normal chromis. Grow to about 4 inches, feed on meaty foods, frozen preparations and foods of that ilk. Adding good vits to the foods. As with other Chromis, best kept in a school, but can be housed as a single>> Would one of them do well in my twenty-nine gallon reef tank? <<Yes, you could keep one in your tank>> Thanks in advance, Brandon <<Thanks for the questions. A Nixon>> Green Chromis -- 1/26/08 Hello, In my tank I have a school of Green Chromis. I want to add some more, but I heard that the existing fish in the tank will fight and kill the newcomers. Is this true? <Mmm, a possibility... given enough room though... not necessarily> Is there anyhow I can avoid this problem? <Ways you can reduce the likelihood... Rear in a "parallel" system, moving some water back and forth weekly... till the new specimens are large/r, healthy... move all over to the one display during the "just dark" period of the night...> I don't want to wait for all of the existing chromis to die before I add more fish. Thanks for your time, Aly <Please make your progress here known. Bob Fenner> Urgent marine advice needed. so many mistakes, so little time... Chromis... -- 09/08/07 Hi guys/gals, I've been up all night reading through your FAQs, and I've got myself in an awful tizzy. Apologies in advance for the very long email, but I want to make sure you've got as much info as possible Background (please don't yell at me): My partner and I started last October with a 60L tank (15Gal), FOWLR (+ Hitchhikers - crabs, pistol shrimp). Our only fish was a Valentini Puffer (Puffy- yeah, i know, original!)- <Needs more room... Oh, I see this directly below> we shortly realised that the tank was too small for her, but have only now been able to upgrade. The tank was also getting an anemone infestation due to Puffy's messy eating and inadequate filtration. So, start of August, we bought a 220L (55Gal) Cube (AquaOne brand), and intended to use our 60L as a quarantine. <Better...> The tank has crushed coral sand and a Jaubert cavity, and the filter/ sump is an AquaOne Marisys. We have about 23kg (~50 pounds) live rock, which was bought in 2 halves, a week apart. It had been cured at the store, looked and smelled healthy. Puffy was moved over within a couple of days of the 2nd set of rock being added. Ph was 8.3-8.4, Ammonia and nitrite were 0 and nitrate was 10ppm at the time. <Good...> The following weekend (mid august), I was away, and my partner purchased 3 hermit crabs, and a cowry. <Mmm, food> (Puffy has never shown the slightest interest in the crabs in her old tank, and is an incredibly good natured fish). The following day, he purchased 4 blue/green Chromis, which had been co-habiting a tank with another, larger, valentini. The idea here was to acclimate Puffy to the presence of other fish, as she'd been so long without company. He put the Chromis directly into the main tank, as the quarantine tank had not been set up (still had the old live rock in it). So, the Problem(s): After putting the Chromis in the tank, 2 developed bruising. <Likely, oh, I see this below as well> We figured that this might have been to do with their violent reaction to being netted, but thought we should do our best to quarantine them anyway. So the quarantine tank was prepared (or so we though), and the Chromis were once again caught, and transferred. A couple of days later, and after some evidence of bullying, one of the Chromis with the bruising started to develop rapid breathing and stopped eating. We checked the water and there was 1.0ppm Ammonia. we did a water change (mixing our own from tap water... yes, i know now...), and it didn't help. Eventually we checked the tap water and to our horror found that it already had ammonia in it. We freaked, read all about chloramine, and went back to our LFS to pick up some sea water. But we also moved the Chromis back into the main tank (we'd had them for a week by this stage), thinking that it would be better to get them out of the ammonia. The fish exhibiting breathing problems lasted another couple of days, but then we found him dead one night. The other fish (including the other bruised one) seemed fine. When we extracted the dead fish, I examined the body, and it did indeed seem that the bruise was in the same area as some missing scales (and therefore probably caused by netting trauma). That was about a week and a half ago. A couple of days ago though, another of the Chromis started showing breathing problems, was hiding behind the rocks, and wouldn't eat. He was also being bullied a bit by the other two, (who regularly have their dorsal fins raised, and seem also to be butting tails with each other a lot). Water parameters were 8.3ph, 0ammonia, 0nitrite, 15nitrate. We found him dead this morning. I couldn't see anything particularly wrong with him (there were a couple of darker scales, but they were fairly consistent with night time colouring). So, I've been reading through your chromdisfaqs page and came across a disturbing possibility that this is Velvet (see 3rd from bottom). I haven't noticed any of the fuzziness associated with it though. <Is not Velvet... I assure you... if so, all your fishes would be dead> The other 2 Chromis are fine... so far, but then again the 2nd one only started having problems after the 1st one had gone. Solution?: As horrible as it sounds, my main concern is Puffy (obviously I don't want the remaining 2 Chromis to die either, but if it comes down to the choice... ). The only thing is, I don't know what to do about it. I thought about moving her to the QT, but if it is velvet, then presumably our QT is also infected from the week that the Chromis spent in there (I assume it would also be in all the filter material, so to clean it out we'd essentially have to start with a completely un-cycled tank (new water, new filter material, no live rock/ substrate)). I also don't want to risk treating the QT with copper with her in there (I've read on WWM that it can be done with puffers, but that it's risky), but due to the speedy nature of the problem, would want to act ASAP... Also, if it's not velvet, and is just bullying, then we'd be putting her through unnecessary stress, and back into a small tank that we don't have any good way of keeping good water quality in without any liverock... Please help! (I don't know if you normally reply by email, or just post onto the site, but if possible, could you please reply by email so I know as soon as you've replied?) Thanks so much -Jo <We do respond to all directly... I fully suspect as you state that the larger part of the source of mortality with these damsels is/was trauma... before you received them. Some batches of Chromis do "just die" easily... likely resultant from the vagaries of collection, holding, shipping... and your system is very new... and not really large or a good-shape for these Damsels... I would NOT treat the tank... Nor really add any more Chromis spp. Do wait a couple of weeks... and re-formulate a stocking plan, chat with your stockists... Cheers. Bob Fenner> Sending Chromis To School (Schooling Size) -- 07/18/07 Hello, <Hey there! Scott F. back with you tonight!> I have a cycling 86g tank that I plan on stocking with a pair of Maroon Clowns, snails, a BTA, and Chlorodesmis fastigiata. <Sounds nice!> I'm currently looking at schooling fish and have my sights on Chromis acares, Chromis viridis, and Chromis vanderbilti. I'm trying to create a biotope aquarium, so I want to know how small their schools/groups/shoals can become in the wild, i.e. is it common for them to swim in groups of 5 or 6? Thanks in advance, Random Aquarist <Well, Random- I'm looking forward to seeing this biotope come to fruition for you! Chromis are usually found in shoals, sometimes numbering hundreds of individuals. You can certainly keep them in small groups of 5 or 6 in captivity. However, in captivity (as in the wild), dominance hierarchies may develop, with the subordinate members bearing the brunt of the dominant fishes' aggressions. Often, aquarists will start out with a number of individuals, and the population will dwindle to a couple, or even one fish. I've seen the best successes with Chromis atripectoralis (The "Green Chromis"). It's not the nicest of the bunch, but it is a beautiful fish in its own right. It does reach a larger size (like 3-1/2" to 4") than some of the other members of the genus, but it seems to do better in groups. I've seen a large (180 gallon) reef system with a shoal of 12 or so of these fishes, and it was beautiful. The aquarist had made many attempts with other species, yet finally achieved lasting success with this species-the shoal is still going strong after 3 years! Do consider this species and see if it works for you. And please keep us posted on your progress with this system! Go biotopic! Regards, Scott F.> Atlantic Blue Chromis (Chromis cyanea)
4/14/07 Wet Web Media - <Mmm, is this the person who was
chatting with Morgan Lidster... (Inland Aquatics)... He and I talked on
the phone yesterday re this species...> I have a question concerning
the mortality rates of the Atlantic Blue Chromis. I
have designed and setup a 90 gallon reef tank as a niche biotope
to the Northern Gulf of Mexico. <Neat> The tank was setup a
year ago and invert and sponge growth has been
great. The rockscape will feature large boulder type
layouts and will feature 3 Pacific Montastrea corals, a couple of
Porites and a lone Gorgonia. One of the
Montastrea's is farmed and I was able to acquire 11 frags
from the same mother colony to simulate one coral dominating the
area, with the others scattered in to give some color and
texture. Other inverts would be the Orange White Claw
Hermit (C. tibecins?), Coral Banded Shrimp pair and a dozen Cerith
snails (they should breed to a stable population up or down
depending on the algae available). The fish plan was to feature a pair
of neon gobies and a school of 7 blue chromis (C.
cyanea). All my research on the web and in
books indicates everything should be okay and my biggest problem
will be that they may not school once comfortable in captivity,
<Perhaps in time...> not a concern to
me. However, in looking for a source to purchase these fish,
I am finding that they are in fact difficult to keep. <Mmm,
yes... I think this is mainly due to the fact that this fish is poorly
handled post capture/collecting... but it also does not adapt easily to
captive conditions> This is the first I have heard
of this and I see no references to this, not even on this site.
<Mmm:
http://www.google.com/custom?domains=www.WetWebMedia.com&q=chromis+cyanea&sitesearch= Re: Atlantic Blue Chromis (Chromis cyanea) 4/16/07 Bob Fenner, thanks for your reply. Being that there are no other fish in my aquarium, would you still recommend quarantine? <With this species, situation, no> My concern is that quarantine will cause additional stress that may lead to a higher likelihood of mortalities since QT tanks are seldom as large and as mature as the display tank. <We are in agreement here> For example, I use a 3 gallon for coral quarantine with no skimmer or live rock and perform daily water changes. A school of chromis would not do well here so I would need to start over on the QT setup. What would you recommend as the minimum quarantine standards if I were to get the Chromis five at a time? <I would still directly place this number, species, in the ninety posited, w/o quarantine... in batches> Tank size, equipment, rock/substrate, aged (1 month, 3 months...)? Thanks Again. Chris Sanchez New Orleans <Welcome. Bob Fenner> How many chromis? Damsel Ident.... Dasc. re-send... 7/4/7 Hi Lisa, stocking question for you. <<Hey Elise!!>> My current set up is a 130 gallon FOWLER with a wet/dry trickling over bio-balls (supposed to be a nitrate factory, right? I am not experiencing this). <<Not always. It may with time. Water changes/macro algae can curb this. Do keep on top of maintenance.>> It has a built-in skimmer, which I have "tweaked" a bit to improve performance. I have 75 pounds of live rock, turning nice and purple. The set-up is about a year old. Inhabitants are a four-inch blue tang (Dori, my pride and joy), a tank-raised perc clown, a juvenile sailfin tang, one yellow tailed damsel, two three-striped damsels, two other brown damsels of unknown species, a Banggai cardinal, <<I prefer these are kept in groups.>> a golden-scalped goby, two skunk shrimp, some hermit crabs, and two green chromis. There is some minor bickering, but no one is getting picked on too much, so far. (I know, I need to watch the damsels as they get older). <<Do not underestimate how nasty some can get.>> I have read that the chromis look really spectacular kept in a school. I'm thinking about getting several more, and I'm wondering, how many could I get, assuming it's not a terrible idea? <<Not at all. I prefer them in groups of at least 7 if you have the room. I do worry about the number of damsels you have in your tank (clowns and chromis are dams too!). If you can remove any of the damsels (not clown and chromis), I would. Add a few more Banggais (tank bred only please) and 5 or more chromis.>> I plan to not add any more inhabitants after this. I'm attaching a picture of the brown damsel, wondering if you can identify. (I apologize if it's too big, I don't know how to re-size and the computer genius is out of town!) I've been searching, but I can't find him. <<hmm, I can't seem to see it. Do take a look here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/damselidfaqs.htm, http://www.wetwebmedia.com/damsels.htm .>> Thanks, I'm still really enjoying the site, I peruse the FAQs every day. <<Me too! Glad to help my friend. Lisa Brown.>> Elise Stocking Opinion 3/31/07 Hi Crew, <Jason> Thank you for all your effort in providing this forum. My tank is pretty much all stocked up, but I am considering whether or not to add another fish (tang) or small school of Chromis (four) to the tank. I apologize if this is too much information, <No such thing> but here is what I've got: This tank was up for 14 months before I tore it down and started again due to a massive green hair algae problem. I think this was brought on by my lack of a chiller last summer and temperature spikes into the mid-eighties. Current set up running for seven months and appears stable, but I remain paranoid about algae & bioload. 200+ gallon custom "show" configuration - 54" x 24" x 40" (tall), <Wow! Hope you've got basketball player-length arms!> maybe 240 g total volume w/ sump less rock. 2 x 250 MH lighting (10.5 hours/day/offset a bit) + 90W actinic (14 hours/day) Several hundred pounds of live rock, & 4" live DSB Sump filtration w/ sock, protein skimmer, activated carbon, UV sterilizer Four water returns w/wave-maker and 3000 gph pump - nice variable flow. Automatic water top off system and bi-weekly water changes between 10-25% A chiller. Water temp quite stable @ 79F. Calcium reactor on order. No refugium as there is simply nowhere to put it. I can't figure out how to add macro-algae to the sump w/o fouling the pump. <Screening, partitioning likely... to have water spill over... leave the algae behind... or divert main flow around the algal culture area...> Water parameters checked weekly. Calcium a bit high at 500ppm <Yes...> (Salifert), Alk ~ 11. pH 8.1-8.2, Nitrates/Nitrites = 0 I have numerous soft corals: Two sizable toadstools Large, growing leather coral Purple frilly (I think) gorgonian- 18" tall Five zoanthid colonies. One frogspawn, one purple xenia Two green polyp colonies. Two other soft colonies I can't identify. 3 LPS colonies I can't identify 5 SPS (acropora) frags. I started these about two months ago, and they are mounted at water depths less then 12", four of them within 6" of surface. They seem to be growing well and I've constructed a coral skeleton high in the tank to mount some more if all goes well. For now, I am waiting on Anthony Calfo's book on coral propagation before spending any more money. <A good investment> The fish: 1 yellow tang - 4" long 1 hippo tang - 2.5" 1 pair false percula clowns - 2"-3" 1 pair longnose hawkish - 3" 1 pair (male/female) watchman gobies- 3"-4" 1 six line wrasse (2") 1 unknown wrasse - 4" long (primarily purple body, wide yellow horizontal stripe down each side, blue tail) 1 orchid Dottyback - 2" 1 pair cleaner shrimp 10 blue leg hermits 10 scarlet hermits 1 sally lightfoot crab. (The one with the yellow bands on its legs, not the one identified as sally lightfoot on WWM crab page.) 6 turbo snails, many Astrea 1 narcissus snail & two sand sifter stars. (I think you disapprove of these but I got tired of cleaning the brown scum off my sand and these guys keep it pretty clean but not spotless, so they are hopefully not starving.) <Likely fine here> I have to admit, the fish are happy as is, so I am reticent to add. The only problem is the male goby does not like the female, but I think there is enough room for them to avoid each other. <Okay> I feed 1 cube frozen mysis daily, sometimes 2 cubes. Also feed a playing card worth of Nori most days, as in my experience the tangs starve without it and all the fish enjoy it except the Hawkfish. (I should emphasize my experience with this. I had ridiculous amounts of every kind of unwanted algae and my tangs still went skinny. After I began feeding the Nori sheets in a clip, they remained healthier and pick more algae off the rocks.) <Thank you for this> I also use a light dose of plankton or DT oyster eggs most days with skimmer off for 3 hours, primarily for the corals. (Also a drop of Lugol a day in the sump, although not exactly "food"). So...hopefully that is all the info you could ever want to offer an informed opinion. Would you recommend that I refrain from adding either an Atlantic Blue Tang (an Acanthurus in addition to my Paracanthurus and Zebrasoma) OR four green or blue Chromis to this party? <Mmm, all should go fine... I would make the Chromis number odd... 3 or 5 let's say... tend to stay in a school more...> Separately, should I be concerned about too many corals as it relates to bio-load? <Mmm, no... but do want to mention that if you were going to add more, you should do so... soon, and otherwise let what you have "grow up" by itself> Thank you so much for this and all your other efforts. For what its worth, I've bought two books by Anthony/Bob as a testament to the value of your knowledge. Jason <Well okay! Thanks for writing/sharing. Bob Fenner>
Stocking question... sort of like Seuss... One fish, two fish... wanting blue fish, Chromis 3/30/07 Hello WWM crew, love your site! <Thank you> I have been keeping freshwater fish for 35 years and switched over to saltwater 6 months ago and almost feel like a rookie again, as well as a child at Christmas. <It is indeed exciting> My current system is 110 gal with 110 lbs of live rock and 40 lbs of aragonite sand, 2 Seio 1500 ph, a/c 110 power filter with charcoal, which I change every 3 weeks, and a Remora Pro skimmer. I do a 12 gallon water change every 2 weeks with RO water. My current fish are 1 Kole tang, 1 Flame Angel, 2 False Clowns, 2 Firefish Gobies, a Royal Gramma, a Filamented Flasher Wrasse, 1 Tricolour Anthias <Would do better with companions> a Yellow Watchman Goby, 3 green Chromis', 3 blue leg hermit crabs, 2 Cleaner Shrimp, 2 Peppermint Shrimp, 9 various snails and about 7 soft corals. My water parameters are good although the nitrates stay between 10 and 15. My wife and I think we need some blue and were thinking of adding 2 blue reef chromis, my LFS says no problem but I am not sure. What would the experts recommend? <Well I don't think they would be a problem in terms of bio load. However they are shoaling fish and although they may join the 3 existing chromis they might look a little out of place, personally I think you're stocking list sounds very nice at the moment. But technically you should be ok with these additions> Thanks and keep up your much appreciated site. Keith <Thank you for your appreciation and good look with your endeavours, Olly> Chromis Stocking advice. (Number; When) 2/18/07 Hi Crew, <Hi Jason, GrahamT here.> Thanks for your great advice in the past. <Glad to be of service to the community!> Now I have a request for simple stocking advice. I have a 90g reef tank (plus 30g sump/fuge) with ~120lb LR total. My current livestock includes: two black&white Ocellaris (max 2" long) <You mean now, not eventually, right?> one bicolor blenny (about 2.5" long) one purple Pseudochromis (about 1") one candy hogfish (Bodianus bimaculatus) ~4" [this guy can be a little aggressive towards the other fish] <He *is* a full-grown adult, though usually a docile tank-mate. Goes to show you, personality can be a factor in any selection you make.> I also have many soft coral, and a few large-polyped stony corals, and zoanthids/Palythoa. <Sounds fun!> I'd like to add a school of Chromis to the tank as my final set of fishes. <May have been better to add before the Hogfish, and probably the Pseudochromis, as well.> Given my setup, how many do you think it wise to add, if any? <In that system-size/bioload, I would normally say 3, with no more than 5 individuals.> Which species is best for schooling while minimizing size and care requirements? <These are a favorite for both reasons. Also, Nemateleotris magnifica and Ptereleotris zebra are also notorious "groupers." > Will my hogfish terrorize them incessantly (it continually chases the Blenny until the Blenny ducks into a hole). <If he's spunky, he just might. Then again, he *shouldn't* perceive them as a threat, and they will likely defer to his/her superiority. Sometime when you look at blennies, they just seem to be saying, "So what?!? What are YOU gonna do about it?" and you can understand a hogfish's inability to cope... ;) If your corals aren't too established, and/or you can accomplish it without too much destruction, you can always re-decorate to throw off the territories.> Thanks for advice! Jason <You're welcome, Jason -GrahamT> Re: Chromis stocking advice 3/28/07 4/2/07 Thanks for the advice, Graham! <Welcome, thanks for writing in.> In response to our last conversation... do you really think 5 is the upper bound on these? <Well, within reason, you might add more, but they do grow large enough that their adult size would have them crowded at more than 5 or so.> These are the last fishes I plan to buy for quite a while (if ever) for this tank, though more coral possible. My total volume with sump/fuge is ~120gal. I was initially thinking 9 chromis fish all introduced together. Overkill? <It's your system. You might be able to make this work with the proper care and practices.> Also, I never got the last response e-mailed to me (just saw it posted on FAQ). Guess it was a bug. <Oh, yes. We have those.> Thanks! Jason <Welcome again! -GrahamT> Mixing Chromis 1/29/07 Hello <Hi.> and thank you in advance to the Crew, <You're welcome in advance....> I have read through the FAQ's regarding the chromis and I can't seem to find the answer to my question. Will Chromis cyanea (blue reef chromis) school with Chromis viridis (blue-green chromis)? <Being very similar, they will at times "hang-out" in captive environments, I a little trouble calling what they do in captivity schooling, it's a very different behavior than that of the wild counterparts.> I wouldn't mind if they did or didn't I just don't want world war III to break out in my tank. <There could be bullying, damsels, even chromis tend to have a social hierarchy....really depends on individual specimens, no way to be 100% sure.> My current three 1" b/g chromis are schooling and doing well. I like the look of the blues and would like to add two of them if they will mix, or three of them if they will school by themselves. The only other fish are a bottom dwelling goby and blenny. <Well it is a risk, may/may not work....best to avoid if possible, but just for fun what is the size of the tank? Could/will make a difference.> Paul <**AJ.> Blue green chromis beh., sel. - 05/10/2006 Hello. <Good evening> I have a 25 gallon tank with 30 pounds of live-rock. It has been cycled for about a month now. <OK good.> About a week ago I added 2 Blue Green Chromis fish and 1 Black and Gold Chromis. The Black and Gold Chromis stays near the bottom guarding all of the live-rock, <Somewhat normal> snapping at the other two fish if they get anywhere near him. The two blue green Chromis fish stay near the top and have gotten along so far, but today the larger of the two has been chasing the smaller one around the tank. Once the larger blue green Chromis chases the smaller one down to the bottom, the Black and Gold Chromis attacks the smaller one. What should I do to calm them all down? Should I add another Blue Green Chromis to make an odd number? Should I remove the Black and Gold Chromis? Should I add a different larger fish to calm the Black and Gold Chromis? I don't want to overstock my new tank. Thank you! <They are probably just showing dominance here. Let them figure it out on their own - this normally works out once a hierarchy is formed. No worries, but keep an eye on them anyway - make sure no physical damage is being done. Have a good one, Jen S.> Blue Reef Chromis in Nano..- 5/9/2006 Quick question - can I keep a single blue reef chromis? <<I wouldn't, no.>> If not, can you suggest a good BLUE fish for a nano? I have a pair of [very] juvenile (1") ocellaris clowns and a yellow watchman goby/candy pistol shrimp pair along with softies, zoas, mushrooms and various cleaning critters. <<Look into neon gobies. Gobiosoma oceanops is one of my favorites, and has startling blue lines. Read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/neongobies.htm. They are great nano fish, although I'd worry about the other goby if your nano is very small..>> Thanks! P.s. Yes, within the next year they will all be going into a larger tank after I move. <<Why not wait, then? Larger=more/different stocking options. Lisa.>> Chromis Query ... id, comp., sel. 4/8/06 Hi Y'all, <Chris> I'm just wondering if you could clarify any differences in suitability/temperament with Chromis or point me towards somewhere I can find more info - I have checked the WWM pages and FAQs already (& other sources) but can't seem to find the answers I seek. <... What little we have should be in the coverage, subFAQs coverage by the genus, family: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/part2.htm Scroll down to the Damsels, genus...> My query is specifically around the differences between Blue-Green Chromis (C. viridis?), Blue Chromis (C. cyanea?) and the Green Chromis (with black spot at base of pectoral fin?) (C. atripectoralis?) <These are the most common species associated with these names... though there are often others> I have seen recently Chromis labeled as blue Chromis which looked (in my humble opinion) nicer than the blue/greens, it is difficult to tell from the picture on your Chromis page but the fishies that I saw had markings similar to blue devil damsels around the eye - small black splotch/band - does this fit with how blue Chromis are generally marked? <Mmm, if you mean mis-marked, labeled and/or appearing, yes> The colour of these fishies was consistent with the deeper blue (as on your page) than the blue/greens. How do I differentiate between blue/greens and greens - is this the Pec fin black spot? <Not definitive... unfortunately. Some batches, source locations have this spot, others no.> Mainly my query is around the temperament of these fishies and any variances amongst variety - I am planning three of a single species for my new tank (a month or two before I start stocking yet - still working on the lists!) They will be sharing the tank with 2 Black & white Clowns, a couple of Banggai Cardinals & either a Flame Angel or a Coral Beauty (being tempted by the Coral B here) along with mainly SPS coral. On the basis of aesthetic value I am leaning towards the Blue Chromis (assuming you confirm that the fishies I saw labeled as such with the eye markings are indeed likely to be Blue Chromis) however behaviour and temperament (particularly as these are damsels!) are more important to me as I want all of my charges to co-exist as harmoniously as possible! On this basis is there much to choose between the blue, green/blue and green? <Viridis are the easiest going, most likely to mix with its own species, others... Cyanea next, Atripectoralis last... though all three of these Chromis are far to the left in terms of the spectrum of Pomacentrid aggressiveness. The short answer here is I'd go with the Blue-greens if this were a concern. Bob Fenner> Many thanks as ever Chris Chromis sp. 10/30/05 I like Chromis hanui but I want to know if they are peaceful? <Generally much more sociable than their other damsel cousins.> And are the legal to get? <Consult your local authorities, depends on your location. Adam J.> Chromis! 9/28/05 Hey Aquatic Masters! <Heeee! Not quite> I have a 175 gallon FO (bowed) tank. <Beautiful> I am considering getting a Foxface Rabbit, 2 Heniochus, Yellow Tang, Threadfin, Raccoon, and 5 or 7 Blue Chromis. I have a 20 gallon quarantine tank the fish will be in for about one month before going to the main tank. My question is, would 7 Blue Chromis be too heavy a load for a 20 gallon quarantine tank? Thank you for your help, Dan <Mmm, better to go with two sets... one of three, the other of four... with a collection of good-sized PVC parts to duck into, away from each other. Bob Fenner> Schooling Chromis - 9/14/05 Hello Robert and Gang (or Crew, whichever you prefer)! I have a 150 gallon tank and I was hoping to add a small group of Chromis viridis (5 fish) and Chromis cyaneus (3 fish). <Should be fine. I would maybe add the them all at once if your filtration can handle the load (likely if you aren't saturated fish wise) or I would add them in order you specified 5 Viridis and then 3-4 Cyaneus> I've read on WWM, among other places, that these two species are more likely to form a shoal, or even school, when they feel threatened. <May shoal without bullying or predatory threats> I guess my question is: how aggressive of a fish will it take to threaten/frighten them into this behavior? <Likely a predator of some sort.> Would either of the damsel species Amblyglyphidodon aureus (Golden) or Dascyllus marginatus (Marginated) do the trick? <Not in my opinion but putting a fish or any animal under any amount of stress in a closed aquarium is just not proper in my opinion. Especially if just for aesthetics. Unfortunately, it happens all too often even at the top level. I don't mean to condescend or chastise, but I really have a hard time with actually accepting this type of configuration. We are all guilty of it at some level, though. Try to see if they will school before stress induced shoaling> Any other small, hardy fish come to mind? <For schooling I think your best bet is the Chromis. ~Paul> Appreciate you! -Trent Fish Stocking Density 09/13/2005 Hola. I read on the site that the general rule of thumb for stocking an "average" marine aquarium is around one cubic inch per five gallons (potential volume or actual volume?)<tank size volume> . Are you sure this isn't longitudinal inches (of a fish of "average" width) per five gallons? <I'm sure> I mean, this is the way I was taught when I first got into aquaria. Here's an example... Say you've got a 50 gallon marine aquarium (with good equipment, maintenance regimen, etc. -an "average" marine aquarium). Now, the way I was taught is that you can only stock this average tank with around 5 two-inch average-sized fish-let's say Chromis viridis-if you hold true to the 5 gallon per longitudinal inch rule. Although with the stocking levels suggested on WWM, you'd be able to stock around 15 two-inch Chromis (because a two-inch Chromis, on average, is probably only about 1/3 of an inch thick and therefore 3 two-inch Chromis amounts up to about two cubic inches of fish and your allowed to have 10 cubic inches of fish per 50 gallons, therefore 15 fish). <By cubic inch, I'm saying that if you had a one inch cube, you could easily compress a Chromis into it with room to spare. Consider that a two inch long puffer carries more body weight than a two inch goby, so length of fish is not very realistic in this regard. The more mass a fish has the more waste it will produce. So a two inch puffer is going to produce more waste than a two inch goby, and waste is what we are concerned with when establishing stocking levels.> I don't know about you guys, but 5 Chromis sounds like a more realistic number (although a little on the understocked side) than 20 for this tank. So do you think the "right" number of fish for this tank would be 5, 20, or somewhere in-between? <I would say ten Chromis' in a 50 would be safe> <<I wouldn't place more than 5... of easygoing species. RMF>> Thanks in advance for any help you can give, you guys are great. -Trent <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)> Chromis Question 8/3/05 Hey all, Just want to say thanks for everything before I start. Great site, keep it up. Ok, I have a 27g tank. My inhabitants include 1 coral beauty and 1 sebae clownfish. <This is too small a system for this Centropyge> I would like to add some green Chromis in this tank, hoping they might school. Is this a good idea, considering the size of my tank. <Mmm, not really... some folks will disagree, but if this were the only species, you might do fine with a small grouping of (likely) C. viridis> If it is, how many and would I have enough space to put in 1 more fish, preferably a bicolor blenny. Thanks <Bob Fenner> Picking The Final Fish... 07/01/05 Hello Wet-Web Crew! <Scott F. your Crew member tonight!> Kudos to each of you for your continuing efforts. I thank you, and my fish thank you too!! <Glad to be of service! We're thrilled that you enjoy the site!> After reading up on the Blue-Green Chromis, I am wondering if you could advise if I should add these fish to my current set-up. I have a 90 gallon, 2 year old soft coral reef tank. It has about 90 lbs. of live rock. Presently, it is home to the following... 1 Royal Gramma, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, 2 Six-line wrasse, 1 Coral Beauty Angel and 1 Banggai Cardinal. Every one gets along swimmingly. (ha-ha -sorry). I would like to add some of these Chromis, but how many? Based on the size of my tank, and population so far, what is your opinion? <Hmm...I think that you might be pushing it adding more than 1 or 2 Chromis. Since they seem to fare better in small groups (like 3 minimum), I'd pass on them at this stage.> If you think this is a poor option, I'm open to other stocking suggestions. I appreciate your input, and thank you sincerely, in advance. Brenda <Well, Brenda- I'm a big fan of smaller fish, like Blennies and Gobies. I'd look into neat fishes, like the Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor), or The cute Yellow Clown Goby (Gobiodon okinawae). Both are small, relatively undemanding fishes that are a good example of the kinds of fishes that you should be looking at to round out your tank's population. Hope this points you in the right direction. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.> Fish compatibility 6/31/05 Hello Wet-Web Crew! Kudos to each of you for your continuing efforts. I thank you, and my fish thank you too!! After reading up on the Blue-Green Chromis, I am wondering if you could advise if I should add these fish to my current set-up. I have a 90 gallon, 2 year old soft coral reef tank. It has about 90 lbs. of live rock. Presently, it is home to the following... 1 Royal Gramma, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, 2 Six-line wrasse, 1 Coral Beauty Angel and 1 Banggai Cardinal. Every one gets along swimmingly. (ha-ha -sorry) I would like to add some of these Chromis, but how many? Based on the size of my tank, and population so far, what is your opinion? If you think this is a poor option, I'm open to other stocking suggestions. I appreciate your input, and thank you sincerely, in advance. Brenda <Brenda, the Chromis' are a peaceful addition to your tank. As far as stocking, I like to figure one cubic inch of fish per five gallons of water. In your case that would be a total of 18 cubic inches of fish. I like this method because actual body size is what you want to keep in mind, not length. Of course you won't be able to come up with exact figures, but you should be relatively close. With what you have in there now, an addition of three Chromis should pose no problems. James (Salty Dog)> Sending Chromis To School Bob: (Or whomever :o) <Scott F. the "Whomever" tonight! Glad to be of service!> With regards to the Chromis family such as the blue-green: I would like to have a school of these in a 55g FOWLR tank - is this possible? If so, what is the maximum population you would recommend (no other fish). Thanks, David <A monospecific (one species) display of Chromis would be hot! I'm stoked hearing about that! Chromis atripectoralis, the "Black Axil Chromis" can reach about 4 inches, and the "Blue Chromis", Chromis viridis, can hit over 3 inches, too. I'd figure that you could get away with about 5-6 individuals in a 55 gallon tank, but this might be pushing it a bit. If you leave a lot of room for them to swim (in other words, keep your rockwork low), they will school and behave in a much more natural fashion. Just keep the water quality high and the feedings frequent, and you'll be rewarded with a beautiful display! Enjoy! Regards, Scott F> First Fish (11-17-03) Thanks. <No problem.> I have one more question. Would a Green Chromis be good in my tank if I put 2 of them in or no.<The Chromis should be fine but I would put 3 as odd numbers usually help distribute aggression. On the other hand you also don't have a lot of room to work with. You can find some more info at our site www.wetwebmedia.com. Cody> First Fish (11-21-03) Hello again, <Howdy> Sorry for all the questions. <No problem!> But would 1 Green Chromis be fine instead of 3 or do I need them in groups. This will be my final first fish question. If this won't work, would a yellowtail damsel be fine. Just 1 though.<You should be fine either way, just make sure the Chromis is eating well and active before you take him home.> Thanks Chromis viridis School Size I've had my new reef tank for about 4 weeks now. 72 gallons. We added 3 Chromis after about a week. 2 were doing very well and the third seemed to be getting picked on a lot. I read that a larger school might lead to less bullying, so we added 3 more last week. They are acclimating fairly well, but that one timid guy is still hiding a lot. He does come out to eat a little bit, but then goes back to hide. Do you think he just needs a little more time or should we get a 7th fish to make for the odd-numbered school? Instinct tells me that adding a single fish to this mix is not a good idea for the newcomer. Thanks in advance. <I concur with you concerns and would hold off on adding any more Chromis to this system. Bob Fenner> Other Chromis Schooling - 8/23/2004 Crew: This is a resend from last week (I totally understand things get lost). I am interested in the Black Bar Chromis (Chromis retrofasciata), and I was wondering if they are known to school in aquariums? <Mmm, not much... not as tightly by far as some of the more commonly offered members of this genus, e.g. C. viridis> While I am here, do most Chromis' school in aquariums (or the wild)? Thanks, Rich <I'm guessing the propensity for schooling in the wild and captivity in this genus is split about midway... some are almost always found in close association in number, others more equidistant and reacting, challenging each other than moving in concert... much like Chrysiptera, or even Stegastes spp. damsels. Bob Fenner> Considering Chromis - 11/18/04 Mr. Fenner, <Paul in for Bob today!> I would like your input on these little guys. <Sure.> I have a 75 gallon with 120 pounds of LR and numerous softies. Currently I have a Percula, royal Gramma and a coral beauty. Tank has been up and running for over 6 years. Never wanted to get a big fish because of limited swimming space with so much LR. <Understand. A great idea regardless of tank size and swim room.> Thought about adding a few of these but were unsure of their temperament. <Well, actually, I preface my ramblings here with "this is purely my observations and opinions", but I find them to sometimes be quite aggressive even in a group of three. Also, they seem to have a bit of high mortality rating recently. Not sure if it is collection methods, poor acclimation at the wholesaler, poor fish stock in general or what. I have yet to get a stable batch in quite some time. We seem to keep the ones that live and try (emphasis on try) to add them together from different schools as they die off.> Will they get along with my other fish? <They should have little problems with your fish selection in my opinion.> Are they hardy? <Loaded question, but I would say they have been in the past but as I stated above, lately, the places I have seen, wholesaler/retailer outlets they have a high mortality rate currently.> How many would you add? <To your tank? I would say about 9-11 (odd numbers preferable) I was told they school and should add anywhere from 3 to 8. <Oh, you could easily make them the premiere display of your tank. They look awesome schooling, again though, they do seem to get a bit nippy and aggressive to each other in smaller schools. As a matter of fact, I would try adding like five at one time and then maybe another three a month later then add another three a few weeks after that. You will likely lose a few. Get them young, (Important, that they are on the small and healthy side) and from a quality store. Quarantine them if possible or see if the store can do it for you. (if possible) Acclimate them slowly to your tank, keep water quality high, and then wait for a month before adding another school. Just don't want to stress your bio filtration with too big of an addition at one time. Let me know your findings and if it works out send a pick of them schooling. Do use the internet as a tool and see what others are saying. Check forums and other articles in various books, too. Don't rely too much on one source. Hope this helps. Thanks for participating here at WetWebMedia. ~Paul> This is why I'm asking. Thank you Ken How many green Chromis - 6/2/05 I have a 30g saltwater tank with 20lbs of live rock and 2 false perc clowns, 1 watchman goby, 14 hermit crabs, 3 snails, and 2 cleaner shrimp...was thinking of adding a small school or green Chromis...not too many because I also want to add a flame angel or royal Gramma in the future <Easy question for me. I might catch some flack but this is from my experience....I would not add a single Chromis or flame and go for the Gramma. The flame angel will get fairly large for such a small tank and sometimes will bully. The Chromis can be sensitive and would need to be added as an odd number grouping. Just a lot of stress if they are not real healthy. Quarantine is always necessary. The grammas stay relatively small and are quite hardy. Captive bred is usually best.> ...my question is what would be a good amount of green Chromis to add without over crowding my current tank so I can add at least one more if not 2 more in the future? <Go for the Gramma. Keep the fish small. Chromis tend to in-fight and if you must add Chromis then I would add 3-5 no more, no less. No flame in my experience. Gramma if you don't add the Chromis. A lot to think about but you will be glad as you will likely suffer less frustration from death and have room for the inhabitants. Thanks for being part of it all. ~Paul> - Green Chromis - Hello, <Hello.> I currently have 2 green Chromis about 2.5 inches that pick on each other quite a bit, I would like to add 5 more to give me a small school but all I can find are small (1-1.5 inches) would the larger established ones kill the new smaller ones or would they school? <I don't think so on both counts - Chromis are generally social fish and not nearly as aggressive as their Damsel relatives, so I think you add some more Chromis and in spite of their size things will go well. On the other hand, for reasons as yet undetermined, Chromis do not school so well in captivity - they form loose groups, but will not form tight schools.> I have seen mixed size schools while diving but of course the living space was unlimited. <And the predatorial pressure much higher... they are well aware of their environment and do not form these same schools in captivity.> I do not want to buy more just to have them killed. Thanks Mike W. <Cheers, J -- > Chromis a good next choice? Hello everyone. Hope you all had a nice Christmas/ Holiday. <So far...> I was wondering what some of your thoughts might be to me adding 2 or 3 smallish green Chromis to my 55 Ga. I currently have one 2 inch blue tang, one 2" yellow tang, a small blue devil damsel who minds her own, a 2" coral beauty and two false perculas. <Mmm, with growth your tank is pretty much full... and the blue devil may become more so with other damsels present... but if your system were about twice the size, these would be a good choice> I am definitely upgrading to a 120 in the next 6 months to a year. <Oh! Bingo! I'd wait till then to add them> I am running an Eheim 2215 and a CPR Bak Pak skimmer with 30 pounds of live rock which will soon be 50 to 60 lbs. Comments?? Too much bio-load an issue, I think I'm on the verge but is it possible? Ands also will the Chromis and my 1" damsel co-habitat? Much thanks as always. -Heather <Bob Fenner> Chromis mixing hello! <Hi,> I was wondering in a 150 gallon tank or a 125 gal. tank if you could mix 3 green Chromis and 3 blue Chromis together peacefully? <Yes, they should get along peacefully.> If so would they school together or school according to their species? <It depends on the other tank mates. If the Chromis are threatened they will school together as a defense mechanism (survival in numbers). If not then they won't school at all.> Oh, and 1 more question, what's your favorite fish for fresh <Motoro Stingray> and saltwater? <Clown Trigger, or BlueLine Trigger I can't decide.> thanks again!! <No problem, MikeB> Chase Protein Skimming Bob, I have a question about skimming. I recently upgraded my protein skimmer. I bought a Remora C (the water injection type). I have had it for a week and it has collected 4 times more nasty stuff than my old skimmer. I have had a little trouble with hair, green and red and algae. With this new skimmer I seem to be collecting a lot of green stuff. Will there be change in color of junk in my collection cup eventually? <Interesting question. Yes, likely> When I go to my LFS usually what is in there collection cup is brown thick stuff. I wondering if there is a cycle where all of the green algae disappears then the red algae will disappear. <There is, are... but there are definite different "skimmable make-ups" of different systems... much has to do with the types of life kept, foods/feeding, lighting, other filtration, type of seawater used, type/make of skimmer/technology...> I know I made the right move in purchasing this skimmer because of what it is producing and my water seems to be a lot clearer. I was told the best way to get rid of red algae is to lower the nutrient levels and skim it out. The hair algae I can deal with. Thanks for all of your help. One more question is it OK to have one green Chromis or do you absolutely need 2 or more? <More is better... social animals. Bob Fenner> Chromis vanderbilti Hi gang! <Howdy Ted> I have a compatibility question. My LFS just got in a bunch of Vanderbilt Chromis and I think they're the neatest looking guys - much prettier in person than pictures. I would like to get a school of 5 but am not sure if that's too much for my tank and inhabitants. I've got a 55g tank with a pair of ocellaris, 6line wrasse, and a orange spotted goby (there's about 70 lbs live rock and 4 LPS - just to give an indication of how much space is taken up). Will they get along with the clowns since they're both of the same family? If that doesn't work is a fairy wrasse compatible with a 6line? <Mmm, had to go take a look at my pix, coverage: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chromis.htm What little I know re this species is actually stated there in a couple of sentences. I'd try a group of three individuals... hard to say re the current occupants getting along with the newbies... Some Clownfish species, specimens can be pure terrors territorially in such small volumes (a fifty five)... and do keep your eye on the six-line for the first few days... the species can also be troublesome. I would leave off with mixing in a Cirrhilabrus sp. here. Bob Fenner> Thanks in advance and have a great day! Ted Green Chromis (numbers of the beasts) Dear Bob, A friend read that you should keep these fish in groups but only in odd numbers. Why???? <Sometimes called the "locker room effect" (by me at least), even numbers seem to lead to more fighting, bullying... between individuals. Having the "odd fish" results in having a bit more rest, ability to hide from the alpha individual/s> I have 5 in a shoal with no problems. He had 6 but one was attacked by the remainder and died. <Not atypical... but could be that the others had just already established territories that their resource would allow... no more room for another> Is the theory of odd/even numbers proven. It has certainly caused debate at my LFS (UK Marines -Roy Meeke) <No progress without conflict... not me this time, Nietzsche. Bob Fenner> Any answers would be appreciated. Kindest Regards, Stephen Tope Re: Green Chromis Dear Bob <Steve> Many thanks for the prompt reply. I am busy upgrading to a 200 gallon system with 80 Gallon plenum sump. What number would be a good shoal for a tank of this size? <Five, seven, nine> They will be housed with 2 x Maroon Clowns, 1 Sixline Wrasse, 2 Lipstick Tangs, 3/4 Yellow Tangs, 1 Flame Angel and a couple of gobies. I am looking to make an impact with them. <Put them in first> Regards, Steve Tope <Be chatting my friend. Bob Fenner> Chromis agilus Dear Bob: I have downloaded some of your wonderful pics you took in Hawai'i of the genus Chromis, and have been really trying to find a place to get 3 of the Chromis agilus for my 60 gallon reef tank. They would be the "stars" as the 3 other fish are 1 clownfish, 1 pygmy angel and 1 royal Gramma. I have tried all public sources and they are unwilling or unable to order these fish for me. Is there someone in Hawai'i you know who might ship to me, or someone here in California or elsewhere who has a contact. <Mmm, yes... have your shop, supplier contact Quality Marine or Underwater World in Los Angeles... they have regular HI shipments (weekly) and good rapport with collectors, may be willing to have their collectors send you some... though few of the Damsel species are collected from the 50th State (not enough pay to merit it... and the common techniques of capture and holding impose high mortalities on these fishes... or you might try Randy Fernley of Coral Fish Hawai'i... who has a nice retail shop on O'ahu and is a great collector...> I will be there over Xmas for my second wonderful visit, but don't think it possible to walk into a pet shop there and carry them on the plane. <You could if someone had them.> I do look forward to snorkeling though and have your note to someone else who is going there soon. I am still painting and my next ptg is that calendar fish from last week, who thanks to you, is named Lorenzo. <Great!> My best - great diving, great pics. Connie Cavan <Many more to come my friend. Contact us when you're closer to Southern Calif. Bob Fenner> Chromis agilus Dear Bob: Welcome back to the real world! <Yeeikes! Don't know if I can take it (Ha!)> I called Randy Fernley at Coral Fish in Hawaii and he was very helpful. I'm faxing him your photo of above fish and he said he'd have them for me (or would try to) when I am there at Xmas. <Great... his "pet name" is "Furry Slippers" (okay, mine is "Dogfish"... but Earl Kennedy's is "Lollipop"!). Randy is a fine person... and a great diver and asset to the trade.> I'm going to ask him to FedEx them to me if he gets them sooner. I gather he does his own diving. Fantastic! The fish stores here in San Francisco are really way below par for a city that "has it all". <Am surprised... there's a new one (can't remember the city, but an industrial park... with great walnut-like tank frames...) and a bunch of nice ones out in Sacto...> Thank you so much for following through. If the event happens, I will certainly let you know. <Hotay> My best wishes for you and the others who work so hard on your fabulous (really) website. Mine is listed above and is pretty much what one would see in St. Thomas, except for my fish project. I am up to ptg #3, named Lorenzo for some strange reason. Connie Cavan <How about Bob? Not the movie silly. Bob Fenner> Chromis Hi to all of you-I have another question. One of you suggested to me that because of the size of my tank (60 gallons) that Chromis would be a good option. I have downloaded pictures of some gorgeous Chromis - one is Chromis agilus and the other is Chromis ovalis. I cannot locate these fish anywhere- the viridis are available. I want to order three of them and have tried every online fish-selling place that advertises or that I have heard of. Is there somewhere I can order these fish directly or are they unavailable or what. <both occur in Hawaii and although somewhat uncommon, at least the ovalis has been available in the recent past with regularity.> They are Bob's pictures, and the agilus is really beautiful. Thanks in advance for any help you can give. Connie Cavan <have you tried the Marine Center or Flying Fish Express? As you look for dealers... seek someone with a good Hawaiian or Micronesian connection (evidenced by C. multicolor angels, bicolor Anthias, Naso tangs, black tangs, potters angels and the like in stock) Best regards, Anthony> Chromis and Calcium Dear Bob & WWM crew, <cheers> You have helped me avoid heaps of learning through "experience". I've found that most journeys are less stressful when a map can be used... thanks for the "map". <with pleasure... do pass your wisdom along in kind> I want to add 5 small Chromis viridis to my 55 gal reef (48in.) and would like to know if this might be too much stress on the bioload or territory partitioning? <fine and peaceful fishes... they will fit with your below listed bio-load very well> The system includes 50lbs live rock, 2" fine sandbed & Reef Devil skimmer in sump. The bioload includes: 1 Brazilian Gramma, 2 Ocellaris, 1 Banggai, 4 serpents, 1 Sand Star, 1 Cleaner shrimp and various LPS & soft corals. Also, other than Kalkwasser, what additive will help raise pH without building much alkalinity? I'm running 7.9 to 8.1, the tank looks good, should I concern myself? Your thoughts would be appreciated! <I find Kalkwasser to be the very best at this with added benefits of saponification (improved skimmer performance) and phosphate precipitation. Best regards, Anthony> Chromis schooling question Hello again crew, thanks for being there for us! <Our pleasure!> I am planning on purchasing about 5 green Chromis for my 135 gallon FO tank, in hopes that they will form a small school. When looking at vendors online, I notice there is also another Chromis, the Half and Half Chromis, that is the same size, just a bright orange color. Two questions: 1) Will the green Chromis school readily? <We can never say definitely with any fish but your chances are very, very good> If not, could you recommend another small, peaceful fish? <Chromis are good> 2) If I were to mix the two species, would they school together? I'm guessing not, but it might be interesting to get varying color in the group. <My instinct says "No" but I won't commit on this question. I'm just not sure. Fish have been known to act in ways not characteristic in the ocean. Look in several stores and see if you can find different schooling combinations. David Dowless> Jim |
|
|
Features: |
|
| Featured Sponsors: |
.JPG)
RMF pic, other lifted
