Chromis question

brett559

New member
Thinking of adding some chromis to my tank. Probably 3. But everyone says they just whittle themselves down to one. Should I just avoid the headache and just get one? I do like the color and their active nature, so even just one would be worth it to me. I'd like to keep multiples, and they are cheap so maybe I'll get lucky with three? Any success keeping three long-term?
 
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Side note, I just got 5 Threadfin Cardinalfish and I'm super happy.
Now someone answer his Chromis questions. [emoji16]
 
I have tried them two or three times in my old 275 gallon tank and lost them all each time. I too would like to have a few of these in my new 180. I just never had luck with them.

Maybe I will try again seems like they always fight and then I find them stuck to the MP 40.
 
I have heard people have better luck with groups if they add even numbers.

I have had the same 4 together for about 6 months now.
 
Just so you know there are 2 variations of green chromis.
There are the black axil ones, and then the regular green/blue ones.
The black axil ones look better, but they grow an inch bigger.
You can see a thin black outline around them in person.
 
They are $4.99 at my LFS, so I assume it's the regular kind.

How big is your tank...

I started out with 9 of them. over time for some reason two grew much larger then the rest and became more and more aggressive.They will seek out and pick on the weakest until it does.then go after another.They are peaceful with other fish thou. So i now have 7. But i separated them in two groups..the two big ones that are a spawning pair they are in the 7 foot reef tank. and the 5 smaller ones are in the Pond.... I would say in a smaller tank they are not suitable They love to swim all over.... Get 5 of them at least in my opinion..

OHH They will only stay together if they have a predator in the tank...
My Vlamingi loves to go chromis bowling in the Saltwater pond i think is the only reason the 5 smaller ones do not fight each other. they are too busy looking out for her..
 
based on my experience with various chromis I recommend a single black bar chromis or a single bicolor (black and white) chromis. The latter won't stand out as much if you have a black background on your tank but the former will.
 
I have kept 3 in my 90 gallon for over a year, they were the first fish added.

I basically have three islands in the tank and each one sleeps in a separate one at night. There is little to no aggression between them but the littlest one is in the process of being evicted by my clown pair.
 
I have heard people have better luck with groups if they add even numbers.

I have had the same 4 together for about 6 months now.

I never really understood the odd/even number thing, I'm not sure it really makes a difference. I think feeding makes a huge difference though, well fed fish tend to be less aggressive. I bought 8 which has gone down to 7 but they all shoal and there doesn't seem to be any aggression. They do get fed 5 times a day though.
 
Personally I would get two and call it good with that size tank, provided you don't have too many other fish. I bought three in a 120 and they took out the weakest one. I then moved those two into a 46 gallon and they were fine.
 
I think a lot of it comes down to survival of the fittest. Chromis are voracious eaters and if the weakest can't get enough food then it will become weaker and weaker to the point where the tiniest bit of aggression may finish it off. This is why I believe in heavy feeding with chromis in the tank.
 
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