Newly added blue/green chromi is hiding. Normal behavior?

[Golden Age]

Yesterday I added a single blue/green chromi. Float acclimated him, then drip acclimated him for an hour and put him in. First he went to hide behind the overflow box and I just left him there. I woke up this morning and he was in the same spot. I didn't bother him.

A few hours ago I went to clean the glass with the mag float and scared him off and he went into the rock work and is hiding there. I can see him and he's just staying stationary in one spot.

Is it normal behavior for these fish to be shy when first entering a new system? I figured after a day he would venture out. The only other fish in the tank are 2 clowns who stay on the opposite end of the tank hosting a powerhead and a yellow watchman goby with a pistol shrimp as well as various inverts like hermits, snails, peppermint shrimp, cleaner shrimp, bumblebee shrimp, emerald crab and a pom pom crab.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Did you add him directly to the main without quarantining? It could be that he's stressed with the new environment. Has he eaten at all?

 

[Golden Age]

Did you add him directly to the main without quarantining? It could be that he's stressed with the new environment. Has he eaten at all?

Yes, I added him directly. Didn't quarantine because he was already in his own dedicated system at LFS I trust.

He ate when I first added him but I haven't been able to see if he's been eating the 2 times since that i've fed.

 

[cherubfish pair]

parameters?

 

[Golden Age]

parameters?

1.025
0 amonia
0 nitrite
10 ppm nitrate
pH 8.2

 

[MrCaveman]

These fish usually feel comfort in numbers. Other peaceful and community fish swimming out itn the open will draw it out of hidding.

 

[Golden Age]

These fish usually feel comfort in numbers. Other peaceful and community fish swimming out itn the open will draw it out of hidding.

I only added one because I heard blue/green chromis will kill each other off until they are down to a single one.

 

[supra400hptt]

In the wild these fish school in the hundreds sometimes. Usually above coral for quick hiding. I wouldn't expect a sole chromis to act any different. Probably freaked out right now.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

I only added one because I heard blue/green chromis will kill each other off until they are down to a single one.

True. They have to school in the wild for protection. Not necessarily needed in an aquarium.

 

[gaz81]

i put 1 chromis to start with and he just hid until i added more iv'e got 8 in total now. they do bicker a little but no deaths as yet just try and keep them similar size. shoal nice and out all the time. some people will ***** about them killing each other but there must be a reason why all LFS say peaceful shoaling fish. if you don't want to put in anymore chromis then i'm sure he will come out when you add more fish.

 

[Deinonych]

there must be a reason why all LFS say peaceful shoaling fish

There is a reason...so they can sell you more fish.

 

[ca1ore]

some people will ***** about them killing each other but there must be a reason why all LFS say peaceful shoaling fish.

Well, I almost never *****, at least not where my tank is concerned. You'll learn soon enough that much of the advice you get from the LFS is motivated by their desire to sell you more stuff. Best I've been able to do with green chromis in the long term (more than 1 year) is a pair. All groups eventually have picked each other off.

To the OP, 'not doing QT because the fish was from a LFS you trust' is #3 in the top ten most frequent reef-tank newbie mistakes :lol:

 

[gaz81]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-11/hcs3/index.php
have a read. i hope LFS don't start selling shoals of morays to make even more money