Chromis (Not for small systems) -- 11/22/09
Hello to whichever lucky WWM crew member gets to answer this email!
<<I guess that's me'¦"lucky" Eric here tonight>>
I've been doing some reading up on Chromis, as I'm making a (small) tank upgrade soon. I will be going from a JBJ 24g to a 34g cube with a 10g sump and an Octopus skimmer rated for 100g. Took a Solana, ripped out the false wall and installed an external overflow.
<<Huh'¦interesting>>
The plan for the new setup is more real estate, ability for cleaner water and hopefully some success with SPS. Currently I have softies and LPS.
<<Mmm, that's going to be your real problem here'¦in my opinion. Mixing noxious soft corals with 'SPS' in such a small volume of water will indeed make keeping the latter'¦difficult>>
SPS is going to be tough if I can't keep my water quality up, as I absolutely love feeding my fish and LPS.
<<I have a predominantly SPS system and I believe in feeding my fish 'very' well. As stated, I think Allelopathy will be your bigger issue>>
But I don't want to go on too many tangents, let's get to point.
<<Okay>>
As I'm planning my upgrade I'm looking into the possibility of adding some fish when I make the move. I currently have a pair of Black Ocellaris and a pair of Neon Gobies.
<<Mmm'¦>>
Everybody gets along and is fat and happy... although the Clowns don't like the Gobies trying to clean them at all!
<<I'm sure'¦ These Gobies are better housed in a larger system with more and larger fishes upon which to press their attentions>>
One thing I'm considering is adding a few Chromis - most likely blue-green chromis - to add a little pop and movement.
<<There are better choices than the Damsels'¦again'¦in my opinion
From all my reading thus far I've been unable to find anything hinting at how many can be added to a tank.
<<There's no magic formula'¦ Even identical-sized systems have to be evaluated on their own merit'¦and with these guys, the bigger the better to soften interspecific aggression. Some folks might tell you a 'trio' of the Chromis will do fine in your tank'¦I'm not one of them. In my experience, such a trio will become 'one' in a tank this size>>
Chromis don't seem to need a long distance to run like say a tang,
<<But to group them you need space for 'other reasons'>>
so I would think my cube (19.5"x19.5"x19.5" internal) would be plenty of space for them, and I'm thinking of adding 3 to have a small school.
<<Is a gamble'¦and not a good one I think>>
Any thoughts or advice on this?
<<Indeed, as you've already read. I suggest some research for a trio of a more peaceful species. About the only thing that really comes to mind here for this size system is a smaller and more 'social' Cardinal species like Apogon leptacanthus>>
My other front runner is a Royal Gramma, I've wanted once since I first saw one in person, it would add color, be active, and not be as big of a bio-load as 3 Chromis, but I do fear a bit about their level of aggression.
<<No more so than the Chromis in my experience'¦and indeed a 'better' choice>>
In the same vain a bicolor Pseudochromis or purple pseudo are also on my research list.
<<I would skip on the Bicolor'¦very aggressive to downright mean. The 'Purple' would be somewhat less so, but is still not as good a choice as the Royal Gramma>>
Since it would be the last one in I would think it'd be fine. Appreciate any insight you can give.
<<I hope it makes sense to you/helps'¦ EricR>>

How Many Chromis For A 55? -- 10/20/09
Good morning crew,
<<Evening now'¦Hiya Matt!>>
I have a pretty simple question today.
<<Oh?>>
I have a 55gal tank with live rock that I would like to turn into a reef. The only fish that I want to keep are a school of blue green chromis.
<<Mmm, I see'¦ Your tank may be a bit small for these/this species>>
How many of these fish do you think I will be able to keep in my 55gal tank with no other tankmates.
<<As far as bioload goes, the tank should handle about nine of these fish (given good filtration/husbandry), but It has been my experience that even these 'so-called relatively-peaceful' Damsels will still trouble conspecifics to the point of extermination, leaving one or two individuals in the end, if/when housed in a too-small system. A better choice, in my opinion, would be a small Cardinalfish species. These will do much better, given proper species choice, than the Chromis.
I think this would look great if they were to school around a reef as the only inhabitants.
<<I am much in agreement; but for the 'Chromis' selection. Perhaps Apogon leptacanthus or Sphaeramia nematoptera would appeal to you'¦>>
Thanks for your input.
Matt
<<Happy to share'¦ EricR>>

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>>

Re: Anemone ID, Chromis/Damsels in the wild   9/10/07 Good Morning Bob, <Christie> I got the rock from LFS and don't know the origin- there are many tube worms on it as well (very thin, white and long) and a couple of small fan worms. I looked at the pics of Anemonia viridis, and I definitely see a resemblance, but my anemone has tentacles that taper without tips- is it possible that it lost it's tips? <Yes... or hasn't developed them... much has to do with lighting, feeding...> No telling how long it suffered in the dark live rock bin at the store. He does appear to be very happy now (thanks to all the info I've gotten on your site) <Welcome> I did have one quick comment on a different topic. I recently went diving in Cozumel and was surround by huge schools of green Chromis and blue reef Chromis- as I followed the drift I noticed that these little fish occupy a huge area of the ocean- ( they swim seemingly for miles) What I learned on my trip was that fish size should not be the only factor considered when determining appropriate tank size- <Ah, correct> I am sure most people already know this, but it was new to me-- an experience I will not soon forget and I wanted to share this with everyone. Thanks so much- and keep up the good work. <Thank you for sharing. Bob Fenner>

Fish injured, sick, what do I do? Chromis sys., beh. Using WWM -- 03/18/07 Dear Bob,     Hello again, this time I have a few questions for  you about my fish in quarantine. I have 2 green Chromis in two separate tanks  with two problems. The first Chromis has a large open sore on its side  stretching vertically from its dorsal fin to its pelvic fins. It almost appears  as if other fish had bitten his scales off and now there is a red open wound  left. <Mmm...> I haven't witnessed any aggression towards the little guy from any tank  mates during the day or night, until today. Some of them are picking at his  wound and his fins now. I was considering doing a methylene blue dip with  him, would this help? <Maybe> Also I want to run chelated copper sulfate in this QT tank  would this have any negative effects on animals with open wounds? <Not likely> The  second green Chromis in the other QT tank recently had a series of dark spots  appear all over his body, almost like bruising. <There is something bothering these fish...> All of the spots are the size of  one of his scales and they are scattered all over his body, none clumped  together. Both Chromis are eating well and swimming fine. Another fish in QT (my sixline wrasse) has a sore spot on top of his head just before his dorsal fin it looks like it may have been a wound that got infected. Also at night he seems to be making a "slime cocoon" that he rests in, is this normal or should I be concerned? <Isn't atypical> What steps should I take if any? <None given what is presented here> Any idea of medications to use to fix / control the problem? My last concern is my Ventralis anthias has white "String like" feces, and  refuses to eat, any suggestions on a way to get him fixed up? <Please read on WWM re Vermifuges, Anthelminthics> QT tanks 29 gallon / 20 gallon Nitrites / Ammonia / Nitrate all 0 Temp 78 degrees F. 5 gallon water  changes on the 29 gallon daily because there are quite a few fish in  it, and every other day on the 20 gallon. the 20 gallon quarantine tank has a mandarin dragonet, 2 ventralis  anthias and 2 green Chromis. The 29 gallon quarantine tank has 6 green Chromis, a coral beauty, six  line wrasse, solorensis wrasse, 3 yasha haze gobys 2 small percula clowns and a Banggai cardinal.   Your advice is greatly appreciated as always. Thank you! Brian <Please learn to/use the search tool, indices... Much ancillary information to your questions, circumstances... that can't be answered, preferred expediently in this fashion. BobF> Lone Chromis... reading Chromis sys., beh. -- 03/18/07 Hey WWM Staff! I have a 30 gallon FOWLR Saltwater tank. I know this is a small tank but I wanted to be sure I was interested in the hobby before spending 3,000 dollars investing into it. (You'll be happy to know I'm very interested. ) <Yay!> After my cycling was complete I added some fish. A yellow Belly Damsel, and a Blue-Green Chromis. Around with some invert. buddies to keep the tank looking nice. (14 blue let hermits, 3 snails, and a sand-sifting star) Its been about a month since i finished adding the fish and inverts. from the QT tank to the main tank.  My Damsel is loving life and his colors have actually improved since I've had him, but my Chromis is well lets say acting "strange". <Is a stranger in a strange land, with apologies to Robert A. Heinlein... a social animal jammed into a tiny space with a bully of another species... How would you feel being placed in a closet with a cougar for a month?> The water is fine ammonia is at 0 along with nitrite, and nitrates are around 15. The PH is a little low at 8.0 but I was told Chromis are pretty much invincible. <Uh, no... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chromis.htm the linked files above... re Systems, Compatibility...> He has no sign of disease or illness, and eats like a champ. But often times when I come into the bedroom to watch the fish the Chromis is just sitting in the corner with his head pointed towards the light. He has been acting this way since I put him into the Main tank. Could this be because he is lonely? <In part, yes> I know Chromis are naturally schooling fish, would it be beneficial to add 2 more into the tank <Mmm, nope... tis too small> or would they bond in the QT tank and leave him out of there "posse" I would eventually like to further stock my tank  with a pair of false Percs' and if needed 2 more Chromis. Any suggestions or insight would be extremely helpful! Thank you for your non-stop patience and kindness to us newbies. :] Ryan <Wait till you have a/the larger system... and read re what you have. Your "answers" are all posted on WWM. Bob Fenner> 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>

Re: fish compatibility question Thanks for the ideas, Anthony. I was amazed to see you suggest a "school" of anything though; I thought I was almost stocked to the limit as it was...how large/small a school did you mean? It's only a 46, after all. <agreed... and very good intuition on your part. The Chromis damsels though are really quite exceptional. Very passive/peaceful, slow growing, hardy attractive. Chromis is the genus... check out many of the underrated species in this group in an atlas. 4-6 small ones (1-2" would be quite nice.> Could you please give the scientific names for the two types of Chromis you mentioned? Thanks again. <sure...check out the whole group at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chromis.htm and pay attention to C. viridis and C. cyanea. Best regards, Anthony>