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druce
08/17/2006, 06:35 PM
I have 3 chromis, had them for about 6-8 months, they used to school together, but anymore just one swims openly and the other 2 hide.

I was thinking of getting 3 more from the LFS, I see them schooling all the time there and thought if they school at the LFS, they'll school in my tank, and perhaps the other 3 will jon them...

what do you guys think?

Hop
08/17/2006, 07:20 PM
It's typical. If it's anything like my experiences with them, the dominant one will begin keeping the weakest from eating until it dies.

druce
08/17/2006, 07:23 PM
I was thinking that it might be doing that... is the dom the male or female of the group? (just curious)

J4Life
08/17/2006, 07:23 PM
It is my experience that 3 is just not a large enough group to keep the schooling. I have 5 in my tank all small and they all school. I am actually going to add 4 more when they get them in the LFS. That will give me 9 total. Odd numbers seem to work better as well.

So once I add the other 4 I will end up with 14 fish in my 75 gallon tank with 30 gallon sump. I wanted a heavier biload since I am getting ready to skim the fire out of it with a new NW-200 from Reef Octopus.

Thanks,
Bill:D

King-Kong
08/17/2006, 07:36 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7961295#post7961295 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hop
It's typical. If it's anything like my experiences with them, the dominant one will begin keeping the weakest from eating until it dies.

I started with 4. Two died due to starvation from this exact tactic. Now the remaining two stay on oposite ends of the tank, but are both fat.

druce
08/17/2006, 07:38 PM
thanks, I've got 9 fish now, if I add 4 more chromis, they'll be 7 total and hopefully they will school...

you are all very helpful, thanks!

erc111
08/17/2006, 07:50 PM
I have 13 green chromis in my 120.

I also have 5 dispar anthias.

They all school together.

The anthias will sometimes go into the rock for a few minutes but then come right back out to the school.

The chromis stay out until the lights are out.

The anthias will come out after the lights are out when I feed phyto to the sps, the chromis stay in the back on the bottom.

FWIW, my 4 in hippo likes to school with them also.
Sometimes the coral beauty and copperband will join them.

I have pics but am too lazy to change the size.

druce
08/17/2006, 07:53 PM
i was thinking of getting a few antias, cool...

lol, pics would be neat, but I know how the lazy thing goes... ;)

erc111
08/17/2006, 07:57 PM
Yea, dispars are beautiful fish.

I love 'em. I got 5 females from liveaquaria and the smallest one has turned into the male. HA!

blas
08/17/2006, 09:10 PM
Have 5 chromis myself and am looking to get upwards of lucky 21 once I get the tank stabilized. I think they look cool when they school : )

KDodds
08/17/2006, 09:30 PM
Also, if there's no "threat", no larger fish, no potential predators, the schooling dynamic sometimes breaks down. When you only have one or two or a few, the pecking order that usually is established in a school, dispersing the aggression, falls on the shoulders of a single fish, usually. Be that as it may, I've had 4 for about 5 years now that school and breed regularly. I recently added 8 little ones to the school. Yes, they were attacked immediately, no, they weren't harangued to death.

druce
08/18/2006, 06:24 AM
thank you all - I figured there was some social dynamic at work for them, and when you have a small number, it effects them more, that's why I was thinking of getting a few more.

STEELERFAN747
08/18/2006, 09:43 AM
I had 6 until recently 1 died. Im curious what other fosh do you have. I ask because mine stopped schooling as well. Recently my larger Naso tang died and all of a sudden they are starting to school again.

marinelife
08/18/2006, 09:55 AM
I have had 5 for 6 years, one is the male and he does not let the others come out other than to feed and give him what he wants in you know what I am saying. When they do feed they are all together

druce
08/18/2006, 03:56 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7964557#post7964557 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by STEELERFAN747
I had 6 until recently 1 died. Im curious what other fosh do you have. I ask because mine stopped schooling as well. Recently my larger Naso tang died and all of a sudden they are starting to school again.

I have:

Faxface Rabbitfish
Scooter Blennie
3 Chromis
2 false percula clowns
powder blue tang
diamond goby
madarin dragonette