School of Chromis

[SaltwaterNuB]

What does everyone think about these fish? I want to add about 5. Here what I currently have.
- 2 clowns
- 1 porcupine puffer
- 1 mandarin goby
- 1 Pseudocromis

 

[Elude82]

Chromis are a schooling fish, so they tend to be better as a group. And depending on the size of the puffer, some of those may end up being its dinner. Puffers are usually aggressive.

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

Cool, thanks for your response. My puffer doesn't mess with any of the fish. As for schooling, would 3 or 5 be ok. I've heard to try and go 6?

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Cool, thanks for your response. My puffer doesn't mess with any of the fish. As for schooling, would 3 or 5 be ok. I've heard to try and go 6?

When hes 10" long he probably wont be very nice.

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

Lol, good point. He's a little guy right now. 3", how long will it take him to grow?

 

[Terrance]

What size tank and do you have extra volume with the use of sump/refugium?

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

I have a 135g tank. I don't use a sump. I have a fluidized bed filter (hob) and a magnum 350 canister

 

[Terrance]

I would be worried about the mandarin starving withou a refugium of pods. Are you target feeding him?

Feed raw meaty seafood for your puffer.

IMO you should not add anything else. Always account each fish as an adult fish unless you plan part ways with a fish as they outgrow the tank or becomes too aggressive for your other livestock.

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

Thanks for your concerns. I have pods in there for him. I feed mysis, and he tends to grab whatever falls to the bottom. My puffer devours the mysis. I also through clams in for him, but he doesn't touch them. What would you recommend for raw meats...?

 

[Terrance]

Raw frozen shrimp thawed in a bowl of tank water. I also feed raw scallop and clams and live worms (from walmart bait department).

You should also consider buying more pods for your mandarin every once in a while. They constantly eat and easily starve in captivity.

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

Great! Thanks for the helpful info. The worms will not do anything to the h2o parameters? Shrimp.. Like from grocery store seafood department?

 

[Terrance]

Yeah from the grocery store. If you thaw then dont refreeze.

Your puffer should produce a lot of waste when eating a healthy diet (worms and seafood) so yes your nitrates and other unmeasureable pollutants will build up and you will have to do water changes. This is why growing macroalgae and a skimmer really helps by improving water quality and decreasing the frequency of water changes.

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

Ok thanks. I have a skimmer but have been hesitant to setting it up. Looks complicated.

 

[huma-huma]

Ok thanks. I have a skimmer but have been hesitant to setting it up. Looks complicated.

They arent bad at all run it, itll make your life sooo much simpler