keeping chromis in pairs: is it possible

[Aurixor]

Hi

I've been thinking of keeping a pair of chromis in my 4ft tank, but I've read mixed things about this. Apparently they're best in groups, but I want a bit of variety in my tank, not just loads of the same fish. Can a pair of chromis be kept together, and would they be happy in a smaller group?

My tank is 200 litres, and I'm trying to plan out the stocking. Would really appreciate any advice on this.

Thanks

[rileyon]

I'd personally keep a group of chromis, the aggression gets spread out a bit more that way. They can be quite feisty with each other, but having a group means the dominant one has multiple targets, rather than just one. Plus they school really well and look amazing as a group. They're also relatively easy to breed, which is a bonus.

[Aurixor]

are they... i've been thinking of my future stock for my 4ft 220 litre tank, and i was wondering, 2 clowns, 2 yellow tailed blue damsel, 1 dwarf butterfly, 1 cardinal, and then a smaller school of 7 chromis - would that be alright. and also 2 cleaners shrimps for the tank. also, thinking of adding a clean up crew - would the fish be suitable, or is that too many for the tank.

[rileyon]

You referring to a dwarf angel, right. If so, your stock list looks fine to me. 7 chromis will be a great addition. Just a heads up on the damsels though - they can be feisty, so if you're dead set on them, add them last.

[brunobear]

I'd advise against the yellow tailed blue damsels. Had a bad experience with them myself, started off alright but soon turned nasty. Same issue as chromis, they do a lot of in-fighting, so a pair just won't work - the bigger one will bully the smaller one constantly.

[felinxo]

I'd advise against the yellow tailed blue damsels. Had a bad experience with them myself, started off alright but soon turned nasty. Same issue as chromis, they do a lot of in-fighting, so a pair just won't work - the bigger one will bully the smaller one constantly.

I agree with the others, having just two yellow tailed blue damsels isn't a good idea. They do fight a lot amongst themselves and a pair would only lead to bullying. Not to mention, adding them to a tank with clowns might cause more problems. It's just too many similar species in a relatively small tank.

[riveton]

I've had a pair of Green Chromis in my tank for a while now. One of them is noticeably bigger than the other, and yeah, it does chase the smaller one around a bit. But that's as far as it goes, no fin nipping or any of that nonsense.

I've also got an electric blue damsel, and this little guy can get a bit feisty with some of the other fish. But he usually comes to his senses pretty quickly when he realises he's not the biggest fish in the tank.

[Aurixor]

I've had a pair of Green Chromis for a while now. One's bigger than the other and it does chase the smaller one occasionally, but it's all pretty harmless. No fin nipping or anything aggressive like that.

I've also got an electric blue damsel in the tank and it can get a bit feisty with the other fish, but it soon realises it's not the biggest kid on the block. Guess that's why people tend to steer clear of damsels, they're not everyone's cup of tea.

[flame9x]

I've had a pair of Green Chromis in my tank for a while now. One of them is noticeably bigger than the other, and yeah, it does chase the smaller one around a bit. But that's as far as it goes, no fin nipping or any of that nonsense.

I've also got an electric blue damsel, and this little guy can get a bit feisty with some of the other fish. But he usually comes to his senses pretty quickly when he realises he's not the biggest fish in the tank.

You're the rare one who's had success with them. How long have you had your pair of Green Chromis, and what's your secret to keeping them harmonious?

[talonix]

I've been lucky with mine too, had 6 initially but lost a few over time, now I'm down to 2 and they get along fine. Had them for 3 years now, so they're pretty used to each other.