Blue-Green Chromis Question

[vaporlockv2]

I have 4 baby blue-green chromis in my 28 gal NC. I am transferring them to a 55 gallon tank. They all seem to get along great and no particular one seems to gt picked on. I'm wanting to add 2-3 more once they are in the 55. Should I add them all at once or should I do one at a time and see how it goes. I hear horror stories of one getting pecked to death and I don't really want to upset that balance. However I have my heart set on a school for my tank.

 

[mscarpena]

All at once is probably best.

 

[Damsel13]

I have had 2 bad experiences when I introduced blue-green chromis into my 55gal. The first time I introduced 5 at once and they got along fine. I lost them due to a crab hitchiker (I believe) and since then each of the 2 times I have introduced 3 all at once one has been singled out and picked on to death. Then the next one and I end up with one for quite some time. It is puzzling to me . Perhaps since they are babies they will do better than mine did providing they are all about the same size.

Does anyone have any thoughts on weather it matters if you add an odd or even number at the same time?

 

[SkyPapa]

...

Does anyone have any thoughts on weather it matters if you add an odd or even number at the same time?

In my experience it doesn't seem to matter.
I started with 9 very small ones in my 120g about 2 years ago ( and an even number a few years before that).
4 survived and went into my 180g in December. They are about 2.5 inches now.
In the 180 one has been singled out so far and hides all the time.
The others do ok in a many fish reef.
When they get bigger they don't school (never did actually), but they kinda shoal when they are small.

In my opinion they are only a good addition when they are very small and I probably won't get any more after this group passes.

As I said, IME and YMMV.

Good luck!

 

[euromomtx]

I was going to get some blue chromis for my Caribbean Reef but read they only school (in nature as well -not just in the aquarium) as juveniles and pair off when they get bigger.
I keep my fish for the long haul and didn't want to watch that so decided no chromis for me.

 

[Alex T.]

I currently have 4 Blue Greeens in my 6 foot reef. Two were transferred from a 29 gallon 2 years ago. I added three others after introducing the 2 from the 29. Since then, the four that reached the same size have coexisted peacefully. The fifth one (and smallest) was constantly being harrassed and pecked at especially at feeding time. I was able to scoop him out and placed him in my sump until a fellow reefer agreed to take him off my hands after some wounds healed. I think the key to keeping many schooling/shoaling fishes is to feed a lot....something many reefers are unwilling to do. Along with my other fish, including anthias, tangs and an angel, my reef tank is fed a minimum of 5 cubes frozen, a pinch of pellet and half a sheet of Nori per day. Nitrates, phosphates undetectable with vodka dosing and a large ETSS downdraft skimmer. Fat, healthy fish are less prone to fight. I really believe much of it has to do with food rationing. Once a new arrival sees what is being fed daily, they rationalize how hungry they are and fight or flee, with many times the weakest and smallest paying the price. Just my .02

 

[SkyPapa]

...
I keep my fish for the long haul ...

I only keep 'em 'till they get big enough for the skillet.:rollface:
JK-

 

[SkyPapa]

Fat, healthy fish are less prone to fight. I really believe much of it has to do with food rationing. Once a new arrival sees what is being fed daily, they rationalize how hungry they are and fight or flee, with many times the weakest and smallest paying the price. Just my .02

I feed 7 various cubes, a tablespoon of cyclops and nori daily.
I feed 4-5 times a day (I'm retired). I have 19 fish in my 180, 10 anthias and others.
While I agree generally and like fat fish, I'm not sure it applies to chromis. And my big male Lyretail rules the other anthias with (non-violent) aggression.
jmo, too.

 

[vaporlockv2]

Ok, so adding more if they are like the babies i have all at once will help? The guy I am getting them from always gets them when they are really tiny. i'm only thinking of adding two or three more. I feed my tank everyday anyways. I feed Formula One Reef Pellets and every third day I feed Garlic Brine Shrimp, Mysis and a little Cyclopeze (I have a Japanese Trimma Goby in the tank and he loves it).

 

[SkyPapa]

Ok, so adding more if they are like the babies i have all at once will help? The guy I am getting them from always gets them when they are really tiny. i'm only thinking of adding two or three more. I feed my tank everyday anyways. I feed Formula One Reef Pellets and every third day I feed Garlic Brine Shrimp, Mysis and a little Cyclopeze (I have a Japanese Trimma Goby in the tank and he loves it).

I think that the small ones are cool (although the adults have better markings in my opinion) and will shoal together some.

But, as i said, they will start to disappear after a while, IME.
I hope I end up with a pair.:hmm2:

As for feeding, that sounds ok, mine will eat anything I throw in there.

 

[vaporlockv2]

Yeah I am really surprised about the chromis. they will eat and eat and eat. I think if I had a tube dumping food in the tank 24/7 I would wind up with fish an 1" long that weight 5lbs!!! :lmao: