How to prevent chromis from killing each other

[Cody Ray]

I have been wanting to add a couple blue/green chromis to my 20 gallon however IME they tend to pick on the weakest fish, kill it, and move on to the next weekest fish. I was thinking about adding a damsel along with the chromis so that they would be busy avoiding the damsel instead of picking on one another. Any thoughts?

[Jeffrey Porter]

i've got 10 in a 75. the more there are the better they will get along. i had five from last year may to december and they never chased each other . then add 5 more in december and they are all fine. i don't understand why everyone complains about them, and it's only a 75.

[IanInDC]

I've heard -- and this is only hearsay -- that if you have something in the tank that scares them straight, so to speak, they'll act fine. Keep them with a tang, or something with just enough attitude or size so that they perceive the need to shoal and they will. But who knows, we reefkeepers are hardly marine behaviorists...

[Cody Ray]

Well its only a 20 gallon, some people might have a fit over a tang ;) That's why I was thinking about a damsel.

[karid]

A meanie damsel might work (if it doesn't actually kill the chromis). I had 7 in a 55g with a 5" fairy wrasse (also with ocellaris clowns and gobies) and then I had 4.

I moved the 4 into a 90g and now I have two. I guess the fairy just isn't threatening enough :-) I know clowns are damsels too, but the chormis don't seem to care. I guess they weren't threatening enough either :-)

[Cody Ray]

IME Yellow tail damsels arn't as aggresive as most other damsels.

[Angel*Fish]

Call me crazy - but I don't think I'd put most damsels in with chromis in a 20g & I don't think you can expect much schooling out of them in a 20 either - a pair would work maybe

This is a totally different direction to go - but how about a pair of yellow fin wrasses - they are smaller wrasses, getting no larger than 2.5 in and they are sexually dichromatic: the female being a very nice shade of pink/red all over the body and the male having the same color of red striped vertically with a yellow dorsal - just a thought
http://www.marinecenter.com/media/photos/32A49F37ED92451F83AAD674C2171C86W.jpg

[Cody Ray]

Never heard of them before, any online stores carry them?

[Angel*Fish]

Liveaquaria.com has some
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1640

Holy cow - I paid $36 each for mine!

[Cody Ray]

Thoughs are a bit pricy online!!!

[Angel*Fish]

Marine Center (http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/wrassereefsafe/yellowfinfairywrasse/) $39