So I originally never thought Id want these little guys but after seeing a school of them at my lfs I think they give some real character to a tank. From what I've read on other forums it seems like it is best to keep them in odd numbers and 7 seems to be the lucky number. I'm pushing it as is with what fish I'd like to have. Currently I have a ocellaris clown, lawnmower blenny, and a damsel. My wish list is a flame angle, a mandarin goby, and a leopard wrasse. Id really like a school of blue chromis in addition to those. I feel like 13 fish would be pushing it a bit much. It is a 65 gallon with a 20 gallon sump/refugium, at the moment it is a fish only tank but im slowing moving toward a reef tank. I am aware of the mandarin copapod need (hence the refugium) and I know a flame angle is a risk with reef system. Also what would be the best order to introduce these guys to decrease the aggression.
s a 65 gallon too small for a school of chromis?
- Thread starter jonw59
- Start date
reeferstace
I'm a little people
Buy as many chromis as you want. You will likely end up with one. They tend to kill each other off. Also, no fish types "school" in tanks the size of a typical hobbyist.
You are right about 13 fish being too many for your tank. A 65 is marginal at best for a leopard wrasse or a mandarin. I certainly would not try both in the same 65g tank.
I believe both obtuse and acute angles are better reef-dwellers than flame angles.
You are right about 13 fish being too many for your tank. A 65 is marginal at best for a leopard wrasse or a mandarin. I certainly would not try both in the same 65g tank.
I believe both obtuse and acute angles are better reef-dwellers than flame angles.
DopeCantWin
Active member
buy as many chromis as you want. You will likely end up with one. They tend to kill each other off. Also, no fish types "school" in tanks the size of a typical hobbyist.
You are right about 13 fish being too many for your tank. A 65 is marginal at best for a leopard wrasse or a mandarin. I certainly would not try both in the same 65g tank.
I believe both obtuse and acute angles are better reef-dwellers than flame angles.
+1.
So are you saying no fish will "school" together in this size of tank? from reading other forums it seems like ppl have had some success. Why do you say a 65 is marginal for a mandarin? I was under the impression that would be more than enough space. I could see the wrasse needing a longer tank.
DopeCantWin
Active member
Because a 65 with a 20 gallon refugium likely won't hold enough space to keep a pod population to make the Mandarin thrive. It will likely survive for a while, especially if you've had the tank up for a long time and don't have much competition like wrasses. A LFS won't sell Mandarins anymore because so many have died in captivity. Their response to a minimum tank for a Mandarin is 150 gallons.
I think it depends a bit on what you mean by 'schooling'. It is certainly possible to keep a group of the same kind of fish in a reef tank, but they don't really 'school'.
Chromis WILL knock each other off until you have one - maybe two if you are lucky. Pointless exercise IMO.
Problem with a Mandarin is not space, per see, but the amount of live rock that you can put in a 65. Although there are some who have these fish that will take prepared foods, many will not, and it becomes nigh impossible to keep one properly fed unless you have lot of rock and tons of pods.
FWIW, I have a Mandarin and a Leopard, admittedly in a 265, but I do not find them to compete for the same foods. My Leopard spends all her time swimming out in the open and feeds from the water column. Just sayin!
Irishdolphin
New member
I have 5 chromis in a 110g for about a year and all is well. From what I see in my tank the only time they get snappy at each other is at lights out when looking for a small nook or cave to bed down in for the night. As I have lots of live rock this isn't a big issue for them - just move onto the next small nook.
They are great for filling the higher water levels but don't actually shoal or school
They are great for filling the higher water levels but don't actually shoal or school
jonw,
get whatever fish you want... i got a 20 long with 2 leopard wrasses, green spotted mandarin, yasha goby, tailspot blenny and a pygmy possum wrasse. they do just fine..
i feed twice a day a combination of nutrimar ova, brine, bloodworms and mysis.
the trick with the mandarin is turn off all pumps, feed the bigger fish fist with brine and mysis. Then put the nutimar ova on the sand bed.. so the mandarin can eat in peace. if that doesn't work.. look around for a mandarin dinner and slowly incorporate bloodworms and brine in his diet.
i originally had this mandarin, 1 leopard wrasse and a couple of gobies in an 8 gallon.
so yes it can easily be done just take care of the fish and know its needs.
get whatever fish you want... i got a 20 long with 2 leopard wrasses, green spotted mandarin, yasha goby, tailspot blenny and a pygmy possum wrasse. they do just fine..
i feed twice a day a combination of nutrimar ova, brine, bloodworms and mysis.
the trick with the mandarin is turn off all pumps, feed the bigger fish fist with brine and mysis. Then put the nutimar ova on the sand bed.. so the mandarin can eat in peace. if that doesn't work.. look around for a mandarin dinner and slowly incorporate bloodworms and brine in his diet.
i originally had this mandarin, 1 leopard wrasse and a couple of gobies in an 8 gallon.
so yes it can easily be done just take care of the fish and know its needs.
What, no Sailfin Tang!
guserto4
Member
I agree chromis knock each other off. I've heard that if you feed them often (treat them like anthias) they keep the riff raft down, but I put 12 into a 29g QT tank and half way through observation time I now have 6. They get fed 2 times a day and lots of water changes but still nip and chase each other. Their schooling reminds me of piranhas... If that's schooling. I've also heard if you get a 'bully' fish they leave each other alone and roam as a heard for protection, but otherwise it always ends up being a dog eat dog situation.
I did hear black axil chromis are less nasty to each other. That might be an option too.
I did hear black axil chromis are less nasty to each other. That might be an option too.
ilikefish34
New member
Here's a link to a good thread on the matter involving hyperdominance to allow for schooling behavior without the killing. It may or may not work for you but either way, I found it interesting because prior to learning about it, I was of the thinking that they would kill each other off until there was just one.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2334885
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2334885
smartwater101
New member
I kept 6 chomis in a 29g and they were fine. Though I added them in groups of 3 spaced between a few months and the second group was significantly smaller in size. They are now in a 90g and still doing great. The tank is fed twice a day and they generally are swimming around together.
Flatlander
Premium Member
They need to feed several times/day to remain healthy. And as someone mentioned, need hidey spots at night. With some of the new trend for sparse rock tanks, its pretty hard for fish to feel safe.
Plus they school better when ones tank has something like clowns, etc as they feel safer schooling. My male perc kept mine well herded up..:lol:
Plus they school better when ones tank has something like clowns, etc as they feel safer schooling. My male perc kept mine well herded up..:lol:
guserto4
Member
I got a pair of clowns this weekend for just that reason. Hoping to stop the QT massacre, even if I just lengthened the QT observation time. Got them from the same LFS, and the clowns and chromis tanks are on the same system so i'm hoping its not an exercise in futility. I added more LR too. They just gotta stop beating each other up long enough to make it to their beautiful 100g home!
Any other thoughts on my other tank selections? like I said currently I have an ocellaris clown, lawnmower blenny, and a damsel. I'd like to add a flame angle, a mandarin goby, and a leopard wrasse. Would these 6 be alright with each other and if so what would be the best order to introduce the last 3 fish?
ilikefish34
New member
I have zero experience with the Yellow Striped Cardinals but I do with the Flame and Mandarin. Yes for the Flame but I don't think you'll be able to give the Mandarin the right kind of home. They need a tank with lots of pods for continuous hunting and feeding with tank-mates that won't compete. The latter would put the Leopard at direct odds with the Mandarin even with your refugium. I would check out the Leopard Wrasse primer thread to get the best answers from those with the most experience... and there are other wrasse species that could work here such as a Melanurus or either of the Yellow wrasses (all 3 of the Halichoeres genus) Also, what kind of damsel do you have? As for the order, I don't see that being a big deal since none of these are overly aggressive and because of the particular fishes you have chosen. I would put more weight on finding good, healthy specimens and then putting them through QT.
So as far as getting the pods from the refugium to the DT I have heard of 3 methods. 1) switching the live rock between the two tanks 2) siphoning them out of the refugium and into the DT and 3) that they will migrate on their own via the return pump. Any suggestions on the best method, id rather not move the LR between tanks.
