Chromis school

[h20 freak1]

Hey guys,

Ive been looking for something blue and peaceful for my tank and eventualy started thinking about blue or blue/green chromis.

I have heard mixed things about how to keep these guys.Some say they need a school (odd number) to survive, while others say that a school will just dwindle down to one due to aggression

I once had a school of 3, 1 turned up dead, and the other 2 just hid from each other after that and only came out to feed until a heater malfunction boiled all my livestock

Any way I was wondering if I could add a group of 5 to my tank(check sig).I'm planning on making it a softie reef, would this be to much fish for this tank or can I squeeze in a pair of banggais?

 

[Beach Bum 70]

go for it

 

[espocrespo]

yes why not. Have a look in your lfs and see how long the ones you buy have been together and see how many there are to check if they'll get on

 

[SkyPapa]

I have 7.
There is some aggression, but no deaths from that so far.

 

[h20 freak1]

Wait so I can put the chromis and cardinals or just the chromis?

 

[Snapper66]

I have five in a 55 Gallon Tank their was ten so sometimes some will pick each other off.I have a 90 Gallon Tank with 12 of them no agression,the ones in there are small.Get them small and from the same fish store holden Tank.

 

[Snapper66]

I have five in a 55 Gallon Tank their was ten so sometimes some will pick each other off.I have a 90 Gallon Tank with 12 of them no agression,the ones in there are small.Get them small and from the same fish store holden Tank.

 

[Snapper66]

I have five in a 55 Gallon Tank their was ten so sometimes some will pick each other off.I have a 90 Gallon Tank with 12 of them no agression,the ones in there are small.Get them small and from the same fish store holden Tank.

 

[Snapper66]

I have five in a 55 Gallon Tank their was ten so sometimes some will pick each other off.I have a 90 Gallon Tank with 12 of them no agression,the ones in there are small.Get them small and from the same fish store holden Tank.

 

[paulamrein]

You can say that again Snapper66

 

[reef_doug]

You could do 5, but I would do without the cardinals.

To get them to school and cut down on aggression, make sure you have some good flow. Also get them all at the same time and hopefully all of them will be small.

Flow is the key for schooling them up.

 

[ReefRockerLive]

So, if I were to go and buy 8 small blue/green chromis as long as I blast them with flow, I'll be okay? I've heard that they will pick eachother off for dominance which is why I haven't bothered with those fish.

 

[tonga_man]

I have had six for a few years, they were pretty big when I got them though. I haven't had any aggression issues that I have seen. Mine love to float around in the waves from my 6100's...

 

[Dave Cox]

I believe getting them small is asking for trouble.

If they are immature they will fight throughout their 'adolescence' to establish a hirearchy and you will have casualties.

Personally, I believe its very, very difficult to keep a 'shool' of Chromis happy long term, ie years not months.

In my humble opinion, mature (large) specimens are more likely to accept their place in the pecking order and live peacefully. A group of 2"+ individuals are more likely to live in harmony that a group of 1/2" fish BUT they are harder to find and more expensive.

Just my thoughts and opinions...

 

[tonga_man]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12164576#post12164576 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dave Cox
I believe getting them small is asking for trouble.

If they are immature they will fight throughout their 'adolescence' to establish a hirearchy and you will have casualties.

Personally, I believe its very, very difficult to keep a 'shool' of Chromis happy long term, ie years not months.

In my humble opinion, mature (large) specimens are more likely to accept their place in the pecking order and live peacefully. A group of 2"+ individuals are more likely to live in harmony that a group of 1/2" fish BUT they are harder to find and more expensive.

Just my thoughts and opinions...

I concur, I believe that larger mature fish establish their hierarchies quicker, probably why I have never had any problems with mine.

Live aquaria has some large ones (1.5" - 2.75") FS but they are more expensive. These are the ones I purchased a few years ago.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=115

 

[h20 freak1]

Ok now im confused

 

[tonga_man]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12168983#post12168983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by h20 freak1
Ok now im confused

My summary - never had a problem with my six large Chromis...

 

[Dave Cox]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12168983#post12168983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by h20 freak1
Ok now im confused

Sorry - I thought I might confuse you with my comments

 

[wesdaniel]

I bought a school of 6 small ones about a year ago. 1 died very quickly, more likely from disease than anything else. A second one died from something that ran through my tank (lost three other fish in the process). There are four left. One has gotten VERY big - well over 2", two have gotten big - maybe 1.5" and the fourth one hasn't grown much at all. There doesn't seem to be any aggression though.

 

[TJ]

I agree w/Dave Cox.... the larger the better. I started out w/8...3 pretty large ones and the rest smaller sized. I now have 3 pretty large ones and 1 small one!