chromis are ****s !!!

[surfingdude]

alright, got back into salt after 30 years...back then all I ever had were a couple clowns, didnt know much else.

So I bought 4 chromis, the big guy and the 2 smaller ones pretty much unleashed a can of woop *** and killed the smallest one in the bunch within a week, down to three. Now I just bought a couple firefish, and those little greenheads are now going after my firefish...those poor firefish get near the greenies, they are on them like flies on ****! I thought those darn things were peaceful...mean son of *****es. Hope things chill down.

 

[RogueGrown]

Those firefish are more than likely doomed unless you take them or the chromis back to the store they came from. If you want a fire =fish it should be one of the first things you put in there as they are very skittish. If you leave them in there together the firefish will either die of stress and exhaustion or will jump out of the tank if it can. either way it wont be good for the firefish in the end.

 

[surfingdude]

Those firefish are more than likely doomed unless you take them or the chromis back to the store they came from. If you want a fire =fish it should be one of the first things you put in there as they are very skittish. If you leave them in there together the firefish will either die of stress and exhaustion or will jump out of the tank if it can. either way it wont be good for the firefish in the end.

That is not what I wanted to hear. Gonna give them a couple days and see what happens...the 2 clowns I have are completely chill.

 

[rajilnaja]

Good chance the firefish will weed each other out over the course of a few months also sadly. Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones!

 

[ericarenee]

You need to get something into the tank to keep the chromis on edge a fish to intimidate them . 4 Chromis need a very large tank as well...

Without knowing the size of your tank i cant comment on what that might be

 

[Reef908]

I had two chromis for about 3 years and they were buttheads until I added a tang. All of a sudden they were together always and on the lookout for the tang. Make sure you have a ton of hiding spots also so they each can have their own spot. They are like cichlids I had before I went marine. Add enough spots so all had a "home" and the there was peace. At least this was my experience but it could help you out.

 

[surfingdude]

You need to get something into the tank to keep the chromis on edge a fish to intimidate them . 4 Chromis need a very large tank as well...

Without knowing the size of your tank i cant comment on what that might be

Well iam down to three. I have a 60 gallon and thought chromis are ok for 30+. I think at the rate they keep going, may get down to 1 anyway. The big one keeps picking on the smaller ones. The fire fish right now seem to be ok, but time will tell. I do have a couple clowns, and they are very calm...they will nip at the chromis only if they go into their corner...but it's a very docile nip from the clowns.

I was trying to get a laid back community. Clowns are really the only ones I was going to be concerned about but they are happy in their little corner of the world and don't really get nasty when someone ventures over their...just a waddle and nip.

I thought chromis were good schooling fish too...they seem to hang out together, but at the same time hate each other...at least the big one is the main hater.

 

[ALLIDOISREEF]

Seems to be 50/50 I have had 4 in a 125 with no problems or aggression. Currently I have 2 and they leave everyone alone.

 

[jar41]

How are Black and White ones? My LFS has them and they look pretty cool? Do they need to be in the group?

 

[jddaniel]

Black and whites can be peaceful as juveniles, but turn aggressive as they mature. IME most chromis don't play nice as adults in tanks under 75g. If I had a tank under 120g I would look for something else.

 

[Sk8r]

Instinct for damsel species (or firefish) means territory, and if there is insufficient territory---toast.

 

[surfingdude]

so far so good...last night and today, chromis seem to be keeping to themselves now, tho still bickering amongst themselves. Firefish are out and about and are no longer taking hits from the chromis...The 2 firefish seem inseperable right now...sleep to together in there spot inside the rocks and come out and chill together.

I guess time will tell but feel much better now. I truly think the big chromis is gonna beat the 2 little chromis down to submission. After reading more about these fish...many people have this problem. Not sure why they are called schooling fish and peaceful...they hang out but they certainly dont like each other...probably much different in the wild, where there are tons of them hanging together. Should of gotten a few pj cardinals instead of the chromis, but chromis sure are pretty, imo.

 

[JC Slater]

Ive never owned any, but from what I heard the larger dominate one will usually always kill all the rest unless in a large tank with lots of spots to hide as others mention.

Anyways, my whole reason for posting, its off your topic, but wanted to say I used to surf in OC, MD before moving out to Nor Cal about 10 years ago. Some great barreling waves up there and I miss the warmer water during the summer!! I only surfed up there for about 2 years or so when I lived in NoVA but seriously got some of the best barrels of my life on that beach.

haha good luck!

 

[TokiHacker]

I had two chromis for about 3 years and they were buttheads until I added a tang. All of a sudden they were together always and on the lookout for the tang. Make sure you have a ton of hiding spots also so they each can have their own spot. They are like cichlids I had before I went marine. Add enough spots so all had a "home" and the there was peace. At least this was my experience but it could help you out.

+1.

Have 3 green chromis and now added a firefish. Was having some issues then added the yellow tang and that was all she wrote. No more issues after that.

 

[surfingdude]

Ive never owned any, but from what I heard the larger dominate one will usually always kill all the rest unless in a large tank with lots of spots to hide as others mention.

Anyways, my whole reason for posting, its off your topic, but wanted to say I used to surf in OC, MD before moving out to Nor Cal about 10 years ago. Some great barreling waves up there and I miss the warmer water during the summer!! I only surfed up there for about 2 years or so when I lived in NoVA but seriously got some of the best barrels of my life on that beach.

haha good luck!

I live right by AI...mainly surf there, tho winter, primarily in OC. You Gotta be liking the norcal area for surf...dam cooler water tho year round. Wearing 5 mil now...looking forward to shedding some stuff off. Gonna be a till April for that.

 

[scooter31707]

That's how they do.

 

[HermitTheCrab]

Chromis for sure can be bullies...i got one about four years ago when i just had a Clown, Yellow Watchman and a Firefish, The Chromis attacked everyone for a few weeks until one day he went to far and the Clownfish started attacking him...this went on for awhile. They have all been together now for approx 4 years and get along great. Every now and then the Chromis gets hyper but the Clown then gets aggressive and it stops. If it bothers the Firefish the Clown attacks it. As mentioned you most likley need another fish to settle it down...good luck. I love mine now...its the most active fish i have.

 

[ericarenee]

Well iam down to three. I have a 60 gallon and thought chromis are ok for 30+. I think at the rate they keep going, may get down to 1 anyway. The big one keeps picking on the smaller ones. The fire fish right now seem to be ok, but time will tell. I do have a couple clowns, and they are very calm...they will nip at the chromis only if they go into their corner...but it's a very docile nip from the clowns.

I was trying to get a laid back community. Clowns are really the only ones I was going to be concerned about but they are happy in their little corner of the world and don't really get nasty when someone ventures over their...just a waddle and nip.

I thought chromis were good schooling fish too...they seem to hang out together, but at the same time hate each other...at least the big one is the main hater.

that 30+ tank size is a guideline only.. you have to consider other things as well . Like how much live rock and the type of marine life they are sharing that live rock with .. My opinion 1 chromis with a Pair of clown fish in a 60 gallon tank is prob at your limit on that species,That does not mean you cant add other fish that either will be dominate to the chromis or have a indifferent attitude to ward them.. From my EXPERIENCE with chromis.. Not a expert but i have always kept them.. you need way more live rock then most say is adequate, a Predator fish to keep them occupied and prob 30 to 60 gallon tank size per Chromis you add.......

This better explains my thinking above ....

 

[ericarenee]

so far so good...last night and today, chromis seem to be keeping to themselves now, tho still bickering amongst themselves. Firefish are out and about and are no longer taking hits from the chromis...The 2 firefish seem inseperable right now...sleep to together in there spot inside the rocks and come out and chill together.

I guess time will tell but feel much better now. I truly think the big chromis is gonna beat the 2 little chromis down to submission. After reading more about these fish...many people have this problem. Not sure why they are called schooling fish and peaceful...they hang out but they certainly dont like each other...probably much different in the wild, where there are tons of them hanging together. Should of gotten a few pj cardinals instead of the chromis, but chromis sure are pretty, imo.

in the wild the school for protection , this is why you see that almost everyone who has success with them including myself have a predator that keeps them on the defensive.... your chromis drama is not over i assure you..

 

[Sk8r]

WHoever called chromis species 'schooling fish and peaceful' failed to say 'compared to what' and 'under what circumstances.' I have had 7 chromis school in a long 100 gallon, in response to a blue velvet (actually black) damsel and two clarkii clowns, any one of which is formidable. Schooling is a bit of a 'fear' response, and if they don't fear anything, they're not going to school in a hundred-gallon tank.
Chromis have been coming in with uronema marinum (a fatal disease).
They are implacably hated by dascyllus damsels, who will kill them if they catch them.
They fight among themselves for sleeping spots at lights-out and will take out the weakest until they all have individual spots they like. This can reduce 7 to 3 in a matter of four nights.
They are NOT an easy fish to keep in any tank, though ONE chromis makes an excellent 'dither fish' to encourage timid fish to come out and be visible.