Dead BG Chromis this morning... What killed it?

[jeffesaurusrex]

I had three Blue Green Chromis. This morning, just after lights on I saw one swim across the tank sideways and get stuck under a rock because it was trying to swim up and it couldn't. It then swam to the end of the tank and just died. Right by it's tail there were scales missing, it was red there like it had been scraped or bitten.

In the tank there are two Ocellaris clownfish, one is decent sized about 2" long, a 2 1/2-3" yellow tang, adult lawnmower blenny, hermits, snails, a peppermint shrimp, and the two other chromis.

Any ideas?

 

[small alien]

One of the other chromis?

 

[jeffesaurusrex]

They kill each other? Will the other two do it now too...?

Guess I should've done a little more research past just looking at the testimonials on liveaquaria.com.

 

[125mph]

I thought I read recently that chromis will kill each other once a hierarchy order is established..

 

[twiggyb]

Unless you feed a lot, you'll most likely end up with one or a pair. If there's not enough food, they'll take out their competition.

 

[geaux xman]

buying chromis, expect death. they will usually dwindle down to 1 or 2.

i bought groups of 4-5 2 times and this was my experience each time.

 

[snorvich]

Unless you feed a lot, you'll most likely end up with one or a pair. If there's not enough food, they'll take out their competition.

Exactly. I don't know if feeding a lot will prevent it, however.

 

[Mr_N1ce]

Unfortunately I can confirm these experiences. Had the same with my chromis. From 6 fish 4 are left now :-( it's weird that they are sold as a swarm fish (at least in Germany)

 

[geaux xman]

some will theorize that if you buy an odd number, ie..5 or 7, they would survive. some will say they bought 7 two years ago and today they are all still alive and healthy.

base on my experiences, i would have to see it to believe it! The only way to keep 5 or 7 in a tank long-term is to keep replacing them...

or it could be they go to church twice on sundays...

 

[jeffesaurusrex]

I feed a quarter of a cube of mysis daily and every once in a while a pinch of Omega One w/ garlic to switch it up instead. Nori for grazing all day, but the Chromis aren't interested in that. Looks like there will only be one Chromis soon, as the two that are left are chasing each other around. If I see one of them go after my juvenile clown (the only fish smaller than them in the tank) there will be no Chromis left. :hammer:

They were actually sold to me because I was looking for a fish to school to create kind of an interesting dynamic in the tank... I asked the guy at the LFS, he directed my to these guys. I only bought three to see how they worked out, planning on buying more later. I'm glad I didn't spend 100 bucks buying 8-10 of them....

 

[small alien]

That is

 

[small alien]

That is a very small amount of food for a 75. Are the chromis your only fish?

 

[snorvich]

They kill each other? Will the other two do it now too...?

Guess I should've done a little more research past just looking at the testimonials on liveaquaria.com.

Yes, you will most likely end up with one.

 

[snorvich]

I thought I read recently that chromis will kill each other once a hierarchy order is established..

Yes, they will. Virtually always you end up with one or two.

 

[snorvich]

I feed a quarter of a cube of mysis daily and every once in a while a pinch of Omega One w/ garlic to switch it up instead.

Probably not sufficient

They were actually sold to me because I was looking for a fish to school to create kind of an interesting dynamic in the tank... I asked the guy at the LFS,

LFS sell fish. They have an inherent conflict of interest

 

[jeffesaurusrex]

I started feeding the same amount twice a day now, along with Nori on a clip (which I did before as well). If I put the Nori out at noon, it's usually gone by the next morning.

I have a Yellow Tang, the 2 BG Chromis, two clowns, a lawnmower Blenny, snails, hermits and a Pep shrimp.

I was intentionally feeding lightly because I have a red cyano problem. When I first stocked I fed half a cube at noon. I originally attributed it to excess nutrients because the fish would not eat all of that at once and some fell to the bottom to be eaten by the shrimp, but there is no cyano in the sump. If it were a water quality problem it would be there too, so I believe it's actually old T5 bulbs, which I have no idea of their age because I got them with the system. So I'm replacing them next week.

 

[lilalove]

If you're that worried about the algae problem, thaw and then rinse the mysis in RO water. It'll get rid of the binders and any extra stuff that comes in frozen food. My guess is that you're right though, and the lights are old. I start getting diatoms on my sand right around the time when I need to change my bulbs.

 

[small alien]

Sorry, forgot you already posted your fish list. Good luck.

 

[CaseyLaatsch]

Any brittle stars in the tank?

 

[snorvich]

One of the other chromis?

Most likely. That is what they often do.