Chromis question

[recklessop]

I have three green chromis in my 28 gallon nano right now, they have been in it for 2 weeks and seem to be doing great. They swim around all day, are always go crazy when we feed them and generally look healthy.

Recently... maybe the last 2-3 days one of them (the smallest) has a few scales that seem to be a different color (yellowish) it has a couple on each side and are randomly spread out.

The biggest of the three will occasionally chase this one around but doesn't seem to be hurting the smaller one.

I have a picture, but its pretty crappy, i will try to get a better one but in the mean time does anyone have any ideas ?


will be picking up a small 5 gallon tank from Blazinreef on friday so i could put him in there for a week or so to see if it goes away, but these are my first saltwater fish so im in the dark.

Thanks for the help!

[lazylivin]

Unfortunately most schooling fish when the predator is pulled away they turn on themselves. What your seeing is not uncommon behavior. We see it a lot with chromsis, anthias and other schooling type fish. I am not 100% sure this is what is happening but is fairly common so throwing it out there.

[Wall_Tank]

Unfortunately that is the fish world.    Survival of the fittest.    The largest (dominant) fish has decided that he doesn't want the little fish around.
I have 9 chromis in my 180gal, and one of them is always off by itself.   I think the 180 is just large enough for the cast out to hide without getting beat up too badly.     But what will probably end up happening is that it will die, then the smallest fish in the remaining will get cast out of the group......and so on until there is one left.

Is it out feeding while there is food in the tank, or does the large fish chase it away?    If it is eating well, I would just leave things be.  If the fish is not eating well, then the best thing you can do is to get the fish some protection.   If you put it into QT, make sure to keep the parameters stable in the QT.    You will probably have to leave it in there for quite some time for it to get some size on it.......

Good luck

[recklessop]

He does come out and eat and the larger one will chase him away but just for a second. If the smaller one goes to the other corner or something the larger leaves him alone.

I was more worried about the odd colored scales then anything. I also plan to add more live rock this weekend to provide some more hiding places.

Right now the tank looks like this.


I plan to take out the fake rock on the right and replace it with about 20 lbs of live rock to create a couple caves.

The end goal is to add two clowns and a flame angel and call it quits. The Chromis were mainly put it after the tank cycle to make sure i could keep something alive and healthy before investing a couple hundred bucks on fish.

[Wall_Tank]

No worries on the scales if it is eating......   your plan seems like it;s the best thing to do.

Be very careful adding live rock to an established tank.   When the rock is transported and then added to your tank, there will be die off, and could create another cycle.     Just be prepared for that with a fresh water change.    I know the chromis are your starter fish, but no need to kill them.

And PS.   if you are talking about 2 clowns and a Flame angel......make sure to talk with our sponsors.  No need to spend more than $100 for all of these fish.    (Unless you are looking for a designer mated clown pair)

[Blown76mav]

The scales changing colors is due to stress, its nothing to worry about.  I have 2 mated pair and when one pair is ready to lay a clutch they pick on the smaller of the other pair, he/she gets spotted and hides and in a few day all is good.  Been this way for over a year now, on about a 6 week cycle between the pairs.

[recklessop]

No worries on the scales if it is eating......   your plan seems like it;s the best thing to do.

Be very careful adding live rock to an established tank.   When the rock is transported and then added to your tank, there will be die off, and could create another cycle.     Just be prepared for that with a fresh water change.    I know the chromis are your starter fish, but no need to kill them.

And PS.   if you are talking about 2 clowns and a Flame angel......make sure to talk with our sponsors.  No need to spend more than $100 for all of these fish.    (Unless you are looking for a designer mated clown pair)

I planned to hit up gerbers this weekend, probably friday afternoon.

when i change out water this weeknd (plan to do about 5 gallons) would it be ok to use that water to put into the new 5 gallon tank (after your comment im thinking maybe put the new live rock into that 5 gallon tank for a week or so ?) so that it has established parameters and similar specs to the main tank or would i be better off to use fresh ro/di ?

[Blown76mav]

Be very careful adding live rock to an established tank.   When the rock is transported and then added to your tank, there will be die off, and could create another cycle.     

I've heard a lot of people say this, not wanting to argue but as long as he keeps it wet/moist there shouldn't be a problem.  I've taken out rock, washed it in the bathtub (trying to remove crabs) and put it back in, never had a cycle and I know I caused plenty of die off using tap water.  I've also left the rock out on the floor for over two hours just sitting, again never had a cycle.  Now if that live rock were to stay out of water for a day or so I would say yes be careful, but a trip from Gerbers to Troy I don't think he has much to worry about.  Take a bucket of saltwater and put the rock in there for the trip.  I've see people (not Wall Tank) even go so far as to say the second the live rock comes out of the water your gonna have a cycle, I just don't buy it.  As long as the rock stays moist or wet you should be ok.
 

[micki]

I've heard a lot of people say this, not wanting to argue but as long as he keeps it wet/moist there shouldn't be a problem.  I've taken out rock, washed it in the bathtub (trying to remove crabs) and put it back in, never had a cycle and I know I caused plenty of die off using tap water.  I've also left the rock out on the floor for over two hours just sitting, again never had a cycle.  Now if that live rock were to stay out of water for a day or so I would say yes be careful, but a trip from Gerbers to Troy I don't think he has much to worry about.  Take a bucket of saltwater and put the rock in there for the trip.  I've see people (not Wall Tank) even go so far as to say the second the live rock comes out of the water your gonna have a cycle, I just don't buy it.  As long as the rock stays moist or wet you should be ok.
 

+1

[Wall_Tank]

I've not encountered the problem personally, but then I've never done it.   I have only removed rock.   But there are some things that I see with his tank that I would just be careful with.

1) He has a small tank  (28 gallons)
2) Removing the fake rock will remove a significant number of bacteria from the water.   The new rock may or may not have the appropriate bacteria on the rock.
3) When buying the rock, make sure to ask how long they have been curing the rock.    Fully cured (3-4 weeks) rock, that is carefully transported should not be a problem.

Again, just be aware that this can happen.  And be ready with some clean salt water.

[Boonjob]

Bacteria is waaaayyy more hardy than most people give it credit...

almost all bacteria can break it's self down into a single cell, and can support it's own life in that dormant state for up to 50 years(even without lack of nutrition etc...)

These nitrifing bacteria, can do this, however... they can not withstand any form of drying... as long as you keep the rock moist(spraying it, wet paper towels etc) your die off should be almost non-existant, and you should be just fine.

I use wet paper towels all the time and have never had a problem.

[recklessop]

Whelp I added some more live rock as well as a pair of clowns ... All from gerber's. They are doing well so far, the chromis seem to school along with the clowns ( who stay pretty much beside each other constantly lol)

They haven't ate much yet though, so hopefully by tomorrow they start chomping down.