Chromis Bahaviour Change

[silentcivilian]

Ok, so all 3 of my chromis are acting very very very out of character.. and Im wondering if I should be worried. They hide.. all the time unless food is in the water.. even then, sometimes dont come out.. they appear fine in color and still seem to be of a good size.. but to make things clear.

Smallest: Hides behind the heater at the back of the tank on the left side or inder the left side aquaclear.

Middle sized: Hides at the front right portion of my tank at the top of the glass with his mouth almost out of the water

Biggest (about the size of a big clown): Hides in the rock work in the middle of the tank..

Chromis to my understanding are grouping open water fish.. and until a month ago did such as a group of 3 for almost 2 years.. now see above to see the huge change..

Why would they change this much.

New corals to system - several leathers
New fish to system - 1 red scooter blenny, 1 red mandrin, 1 yellow clown goby
Total Stock:
3 green blue chromis
2 Perc Clowns
1 yellow tang
1 coral beauty
1 rusty angel
1 Benggai Cardinal
1 Cleaner Wrasse
1 Yellow Clown Goby
1 Red Mandrin
1 Red Scooter Blenny
1 Lawn Mower Blenny
Various Crabs - Scarlet, Halloween, Blue legged, algae, emerald
Various Snails
1 peppermint shrimp
1 sandsifting starfish

 

[silentcivilian]

Any one had this before or know what may be causing it??

 

[Jerry W]

My experience with chromis is that after a time, they tend to be more solitary, even picking on each other. I believe they school for protection, but if there are no threats, they go thir separate ways. I've had them pick each other off before, and a group of three usually ended up as a pair or only a single fish surviving.

 

[katarina]

Since all three are hiding I would guess one of your other fish is bulling them.

 

[clsanchez77]

I agree with katarina.

Could it be the clowns? I know they can also get pretty territorial. I would remove the clowns to a QT tank for a few days and see of the chromis come out. I would try tang next and then the two angels. After a period of trial and error you should be able to figure it out.

If it was what Jerry mentioned, the bigger one would not be hiding but patrolling instead.

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

My experience with chromis is that after a time, they tend to be more solitary, even picking on each other. I believe they school for protection, but if there are no threats, they go thir separate ways. I've had them pick each other off before, and a group of three usually ended up as a pair or only a single fish surviving.

+1 This has been my experience as well. If the cromis are hiding they are being bullied by something.