Chromis

An endearing species of fish, the Chromis loves the company of its fellow beings and pines in isolation. Sounds like quite the partygoer huh?

Habitat: Much like us, they appreciate a spacious environment to enable them to swim in a school. They will stay out in the open most of the time, but should have lots of rock or coral nearby to dart into They prefer SPS corals (dead or living) as their favorite hiding places. Bright lighting shows the iridescence of their scales and coloration best.

Food: You will be relieved to know that they are not finicky about food at all. Quite flexible, these fish will eat most anything small enough to fit into their mouths. In the wild, they are plankton feeders, eating tasty morsels as they float by. In a saltwater aquarium, they will eat from the surface or mid-water. Feed them small amounts frequently and offer both meaty and green foods.

Compatibility: While figuring out additional tenants for your aquarium, remember that this species is compatible with all but large, aggressive fish or predators. The Blue-green Chromis is almost saintly given its tolerance towards its tankmates most of the time. However, they become ferocious when they have their little ones to protect. To avoid stressing the other fish, spawning pairs should be kept in a separate aquarium. They are "reef safe" and won't bother invertebrates other than cleaning a potential spawn site.

Keep several Chromis viridis in a large aquarium and they will reward you by swimming in a school. Schooling activity will decrease with maturity and pairing. Single specimens do not fare as well as those kept in small groups.

Choosing your Chromis: Follow some ground-rules to ensure hassle-free adoption and caring for your Chromis. Smaller specimens will readily adapt to aquarium life. Look for fish that are actively swimming and eating well. Avoid specimens with raised scales or other signals of ill health. Wait a week or two after they arrive at a retail outlet before purchasing them. Avoid specimens that hide. Purchase small, but not tiny, specimens in groups of fish that are about the same size.

Diseases : Overall, you can take it easy with this fish since this it is hardy and disease resistant. However, watch closely for raised scales and red patches. They seem to be susceptible to Uronema marinum. This small, uncommon parasite is difficult to diagnose and treat successfully, unless caught early. Bacterial infection (vibrio species of bacteria) is common in recently transported specimens and it appears to be highly contagious to this species.

A minimum of three weeks of quarantine is recommended for all newly acquired specimens, regardless of the species. Chromis viridis respond well to copper treatments, hyposalinity therapy and antibiotics (nitrofurazone in particular). Avoid using Malachite green, which is highly toxic to many small fish. Feeding them garlic soaked foods occasionally will help control some internal parasites.

Special care: They are an aquarists’ delight given their undemanding nature. These are excellent fish for the inexperienced hobbyist. They are long-lived and hardy, provided they have a low- stress environment without aggressive tankmates.

The Gramma loreto (Royal Gramma) and the Chromis viridis (Blue-Green Chromis) are an excellent choice to make. You will get more enjoyment keeping hardy, peaceful stock, than with animals that are difficult and troublesome to maintain. Take good care of them and they will reward you with many years of viewing pleasure.