I have a shy fish, now what?

[coryaquarium101]

I just have a 37 gallon tank with 40lbs live rock and 40lbs live sand. I have added 3 pretty big fiji green chromis, 1 died that was messed up from shipping. Now I have 2, the bigger one swims all around and eats a lot. The smaller one about is 1/4 smalller and doesn't swim around much and stays in one place in the rocks. And I never see him eat, but he has been alive for weeks so he must be eating off the bottom in the dark? I was wondering if I get a oscerlaris clown if the chromis will make him shy too?

Cory.

 

[NewFish3]

I have a Royal Gramma that would not come out of his home ( a hole in a rock he found ) He would just stick his head of the rock for 2..3 seconds. This went on for about 4 weeks. I never seen him eat, I thought he was going to die. But now....he's all over the place...I was told that..when he feels safe & theres nothing out there that will eat him.....he will come out, sometimes right away, sometimes a few weeks.

If not try....... match.com or eharmony.com.....LOL he'll be fine

 

[robnuti]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12163113#post12163113 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NewFish3
If not try....... match.com or eharmony.com.....LOL he'll be fine

Chromis are schooling fish. It would help if you replaced his friend that died. They are tough fish so if you don't he will be OK

 

[coryaquarium101]

So if I add another chromis and 1 or 2 small clowns will that be too many fish for a 37 gallon? I have 6 astrea snails, about 7 hermit crabs, porclean crab, a fighting conch which I have not seen for about 4 days.

 

[ImprezaSTi]

Since they are schooling fish, an extra chromis will not make a difference. It may also make the situation worse by not adding them together.

By the looks of it, I am guessing that the bigger chromis is picking on the smaller chromis. These fish are usually not very shy and will swim all over the place after the first few days of introduction.

 

[robs.mark]

I read somewhere that Chromis should be kept in odd numbers otherwise they can kill each other, i would try replacing the young fella that died..

 

[sjfishguy]

I would stop getting chromis, they are not a beginner fish, they are notorious for dying for no apparent reason. They are not hardy like other damsels. Ask the guys that have huge reefs with chromis in them, they have one drop off here and there for no apparent reason.

 

[Chibils]

Agreed. Chromis are like tiger barbs. They need a huge group or they get aggressive. And even then, you're just rolling the dice as the smaller ones in the shoal will die or get picked off.