Who Gives A Fish Forums

Can humbugs coexist with chromis or other damsels?

It really comes down to several key factors - tank size, the amount of rockwork and hiding places, the number of each species you plan to keep, and the order in which you introduce them.

In a larger tank, say 4x2x2ft, with plenty of rock and nooks for the fish to hide, you might be able to get away with adding a group of 8-10 chromis initially, followed by a few humbugs a few weeks later. However, once the humbugs mature, you'll likely end up with a dominant pair, and the others will need to be removed. If you're looking to keep multiple pairs of humbugs, a tank with lots of rockwork might be able to handle two pairs, but if you want to keep chromis or other damsels in the tank, it's generally better to stick with a single pair.

The key is to introduce the chromis first and add the humbugs last. Try to get smaller humbugs, as they'll take longer to mature and establish their territory.