How Many Chromis?

[Michael R]

I know the title may sound a bit confusing, but I'm wondering how many Chromis I should get. I really like them and want to get some, but I'll understand if my setup cant sustain the number needed to keep them happy.

Can I keep a single one? A pair? Three? or a small group?

I have a 90 gallon aquarium with:

1 Cleaner Shrimp
2 Firefish
1 Royal Gramma
1 Pearlscale Butterflyfish
Plan on: 1 Dwarf Angelfish

Also, if you have any recommendations for additional fish, I'd be happy to hear them!

Mike

 

[Chibils]

If that's your entire stocking list, you could definitely get away with 4-6 imo.

 

[Beach Bum 70]

go with 5or even 7

 

[A sea K]

My understanding is odd numbers are best and the more the merrier(within reason to tank size/bio-load) to disperse aggression.

 

[Michael R]

Yeah I've always heard that odd numbers work best.

I think that a small school would be great to finish off my stocklist.

Yes, that is my entire stocklist. So a group of 5 would be fine with the 5 fish listed above, bioload-wise?

 

[Beach Bum 70]

make sure when you buy them that they are around the same size. They will other wise pick each other off.

 

[Wolverine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12318051#post12318051 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by A sea K
My understanding is odd numbers are best and the more the merrier(within reason to tank size/bio-load) to disperse aggression.

There's a huge thread in here somewhere about chromis, and a lot of people find that their populations, no matter what size they start at, end up slowly dwindling down to one or two. It's not uncommon for all the aggression to get dumped on the bottom fish on the ladder, and then work its way up from there.

 

[DaddyJax]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12319797#post12319797 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Wolverine
There's a huge thread in here somewhere about chromis, and a lot of people find that their populations, no matter what size they start at, end up slowly dwindling down to one or two. It's not uncommon for all the aggression to get dumped on the bottom fish on the ladder, and then work its way up from there.

In a nutshell.
I am a big Chromis person and think that they are great to have but I also accept that they will work their way down in numbers eventually. You can prolong this with frequent feedings and having just one boss of the tank of a different species. This has been my experience.

 

[PuffersKick]

5 is a good number. Not too many, not too few.

And ODD numbers are a must. I know that's weird but it's happened to me TWICE where I added an even number and one got picked off to make it an odd number.

So now I have the same 5 that have been in my tank over 3 years.

 

[2dawghouse]

In a 90 with a small bioload I would go with 7

 

[rottbo]

I started with 7 and now have 3 in a 76 I have heard that schools are hit or miss unless you have a large tank

 

[chillman]

I went with 5 chromis in a 75. They were great for a year or two, schooling and seemed well behaved, but now I am down to 3.

 

[falconut]

I've had my single one in my 90 for over 3 years now. I've tried adding others during that time, but they only lasted a few weeks to a month.

As noted above, in tanks they seam to pick each other off. So why not just get one? I've also had a single Lyretail and a single Blue Reef Chromis and they also did fine singly. Both of them died during a power outage after I had them for over a year.

I'd recommend going with one. JMO

 

[jubjub]

i have 5 in my 75.....in a 90 i would of gotten 7....

 

[SDguy]

I personally bought three, assuming two would pair and kill off the third. This is exactly what happened. They grew quite large, fast, and I personally would not want more than two in my 115g tank long term. They can be scrappy with the other fish.

 

[Michael R]

I am thinking of just getting one, but they sure do look lonely by themselves !

A 75 is really no different surface area-wise than a 90. If you did 5 in a 75, I should probably do the same.

If I start with 5 and the group drops down to 3, that's fine. I kind of want 3 more than 5, but I'll have better chances with a larger group.

 

[rottbo]

I love mine thay are the most active fish in that tank besides the lyretail anthias not the meanest either that goes to the little yellow tail blue damsel he beats up the wimpy 2' snowflake eel