Schooling Fish For The Reef Aquarium

[Patroklos]

So, I am slowely putting together my stocking list and timeframe and I cam across the Blue Green Reef Chromis. Obviously nothing new to you guys, when looking at pics I recognized it from several of your tanks in the showcase forum.

I was interested in the fact that you can 1.) keep several in the same tank (which seems to be a rarity the more I read about species!) and 2.) they school, which seems like it would add a lot of character to a tank.

So, some questions;

1.) How have your experiances with this species been if you keep them?

2.) Are their any other species that school?

3.) What are the aquarium requirements, if any, that are needed to encourage schooling behavior?

[cmor1701d]

How big is the tank?
How long has it been set up?
What other fish/livestock is in the tank?
What other fish/livestock is planned for the tank?

"In schools, Chromis often adopt a pecking order where the smallest of the group may become tormented to death. Thus the schooling issue is the subject of much debate and concern. It is often recommended that groups of Chromis be kept in schools of no less than 6, as the pecking behavior is more broadly dispensed among the smaller members. However, aquarists have found that pairs and sometimes trios can be grouped successfully without pecking order issues."

[Ziggy953]

I have 4 in my tank and have had them for over a year now. They "hang out" together but don't really school...Fish will not actually "school" in an aquarium they will Shoal which is to say they will group together. Schooling refers to uniformed behavior...think about a school of bait fish all making the same movements together. Schooling is a defense technique, lots of little fish look like one big fish.....

Chromis will hang together in the tank and they do add a nice bit of interest to the tank. To have many more the 4 you need a tank 90g+.

[Patroklos]

How big is the tank?
How long has it been set up?
What other fish/livestock is in the tank?
What other fish/livestock is planned for the tank?

Personally I will have a 65 gallon (pick it up in an hour), brand new, reef tank.

I am really just talking about in general though.

Chromis will hang together in the tank and they do add a nice bit of interest to the tank. To have many more the 4 you need a tank 90g+.

Yeah, I figured it would be interesting, and four was what I was thinking.

[Ziggy953]

Well I started out with 5 but one went MIA and I never replaced it. It is suggested to keep them in odd numbers....

[melosu58]

I `ve had real good results with them schooling. Here is a pic of them in the middle.

[lance]

ITs a hit or miss result. In most cases they dont like competition in a smaller tank and will kill off the weaker fish. In this way you will have the stronger fish left. But in a small reef tank your limited in amount of stock. So with so many fish to chose from why add so many comon fish.
Think of fish like a CUC. You want aglea eaters and sand sifters for water quailty. $ chromis in a 65 means your very limited in any additional stock.

[austinsdad]

Or consider pajama cardinals. Slower moving, that just kinda hang in one area. Cycle with raw, grocery store shrimp and maybe consider adding the chromis first. I'm thinking 3 small ones. They'll also swim out front a lot and help newcomers not be so bashful as you add fish.

Thought about the ultimate stocking plan? Now would be a good time to do that. Wanna share those thoughts?

Also, chromis won't be killing off anybody. Very peaceful fish.

[lance]

Chromis wont kill other fish but will kill off each other. I tried to school 4 in a 75 gallon and was left with only 1 after 1 week.And ive seen many others with same results. Salt fish are survivers and need lots of room for any chance of schooling.
But they dont cost most so go ahead and try. But remember most of the fish you buy dont breed well in an aquarium so they come from the ocean reef. And bought by you for some mad scientist experiment. I wish i had known myself and not listened to my LFS who only wanted my money. Live and learn. Believe me you will waste much more money then the few chromis you might loose.

Originally Posted by austinsdad

Or consider pajama cardinals. Slower moving, that just kinda hang in one area. Cycle with raw, grocery store shrimp and maybe consider adding the chromis first. I'm thinking 3 small ones. They'll also swim out front a lot and help newcomers not be so bashful as you add fish.

Thought about the ultimate stocking plan? Now would be a good time to do that. Wanna share those thoughts?

Also, chromis won't be killing off anybody. Very peaceful fish.

[austinsdad]

If left with one, I'd add 2. At $6 to $8 each, IME you can keep adding as they'll ultimately get the heirarchy together and do fine. I added 3 to 2 that lived in my original setup and now have 3 that have been in the same tnk for almost 3 years now. One real big one - the female/boss/head honcho (or honchA), another slightly smaller and a noticeably smaller one. The last two are males.