Schools

[Fliger]

Hi Anthony, I have a school of 5 blue-eyed chromis. Fat, healthy and stay pretty tight. I was thinking of adding a few more, but also wondered about getting a different school o fish altoghether. Like make a school of 6 of those blue reef chromis you mentioned once before.

My tank is 340, 84x36Wx26H. How would 2 schools do? Might they even blend?

I have 4 tangs, a pair of Lemarck angels (just bought), a pair of maroon clowns, a mandarin fish, and a CBB.

The tank is very peaceful, well fed, well skimmed. My water quality is excellent.

What would you recommend, thanks.

David

[Anthony Calfo]

I do believe you have good reason to expect that another shoal or small school of fishes could be integrated into the community (although unlikely to blend with another species).

Chromis are personal favs of mine for their handsome color and overall peaceful disposition.

I'm just happy and surprised that the yellow tangs and/or maroon clown haven;t become brutal (yet). They have a well-deserved reputation for doing so in time regardless of tank size. Keep an eye on them. :)

Anthony

[Fliger]

Oops, they are blue eyed cardinals. With Chromis school with them?

My maroons were inherited, they are very docile so far. My yellow tang beat my purple to death in my 150. He tried to bully in my new tank, but I added a bigger tang (vlamingii, it was a mistake, I will donate him to a bigger tank or GET a bigger tank when needed) and he calmed down.

[Anthony Calfo]

in retrospect, the Chromis seem like a bad addition (too docile) in a tank with already too much potential (actually, likelihood) for aggression (tangs, clowns)

And it is very unlikely unrelated species will school (some odd exceptions, but usually not).

[Fliger]

At the first sign of aggression, I'll get rid of the clowns. The yellow tang as well.

I think if anything, I'll add a few to the school of cards. They swim really tightly, and really aren't picked on.

OK - one last question. I saw a thread where a guy had 3 pairs of reef-safe angels. Would you say that might be OK?

[Anthony Calfo]

its pot-luck with angels... no such thing really as reef-safe Pomacanths

Some nip corals, some don't... Centropyge is somewhat safer but still has its devils.

You can screen for nippers if you do a proper 4 week + QT and place polyps rocks or like sturdy cnidarians in as a test.

As for specific recommendations, I really do not feel comfortable offering any such Centropyge to a Vlamingi, killer Yellow and/or (mark your calendar) soon to be brutal maroons (the larger/female will(!) get hostile, my friend).

You really need to thing of this tank now as an active/aggressive community tank. Do forget about peaceful reef fishes like dartfish/firefish, Chromis, dragonets, etc.

Anthony

[Fliger]

Good points. I took that Yellow as a favor to a guy who needed a home, I didn't realize what a pain he was. The Vlamingii is extremely peaceful - from everything I've read, they are very peaceful.

You've convinced me to get the Yellow a more suitable home. Even tho the yellow has been fine since going to the 340, I do want a peaceful tank. As for the maroons, is it possible that they're EVER peaceful? I got them from a local (Schism) who had them for a long time. He said they were never aggressive, and one is quite large. They've been great. I could remove them at any time, since they hang out at the top in one of the bulkheads.

But if you're certain that they will get nasty - I'll find someone to take them now, might as well take care before they get gnarly. There is a breeder in town that might want them.

Thanks for the info on the angels. I'll watch the Lamarcks and see how they do.

[Anthony Calfo]

The Genicanthus angels are indeed peaceful and essentially reef-safe (some coral nipping, but rather uncommon). They don't get recommended much because of their passive nature and need for very large aquariums. Lamarck is a fine choice if it doesn't get harassed. Truly so.

On the contrary though about Vlamingi's... they are large, dominant and often aggressive. It comes with maturity/time.

Anthony

[lego]

This is a question one my LFS and I have been wondering about:

Do Green Chromis only for shoals with members of their local family?

The LFS guy and I have noticed that when you mix different batches of chromis together (chromis bough from different whole salers or in different batches), sometimes they seem to pick on the outsiders while happily scholing with with their own group. Does this make any sense or is it just coincidence?

[Anthony Calfo]

it is a common observation... sometimes individuals from different groups will mix, sometimes they will not. The artifact of captivity surely is the catalyst IMO. All bets are off :D