Chromis are among the most popular fish for saltwater aquarium owners, and it’s easy to see why. With their low maintenance needs, flamboyant personalities, and excellent swimming skills, chromis can create a habitat that is fascinating to watch.
If you are planning to welcome chromis into your home, we can help you get them acclimated. In the meantime, here are a few basic facts you may wish to know beforehand.
1. Some chromis are blue. Some are green. Some are greenish blue or bluish green. You may come across all these terms.. Their radiant, signature colors are what make them so popular for saltwater aquariums.
2. They only grow to about 4 inches long.
3. They enjoy swimming in groups and can be fascinating to watch, especially due to their shimmering color.
4. You should have at least six chromis in your aquarium. Although they are friendly, peaceful fish, a chromis aquarium is a little like a middle school playground. These fish will develop a hierarchy, so the “least popular” fish may feel lonely and vulnerable. If you have more fish, the lowest fish on this totem pole will feel more protected. There’s strength in numbers.
5. Chromis have a deeply forked tail, which allows them to swim faster.
6. Even though they are small, these active, excellent swimmers will need relatively large tanks so that they can be free to be themselves. We would recommend a 30-gallon tank or larger.
7. As omnivores, they do graze on algae and eat flake foods. However, they prefer meaty foods like shrimp, so these should be their main foods. They should be fed at least three times a day, but be careful not to overfeed them.
8. In nature, you can find blue-green chromis in coral reefs, especially in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Your saltwater aquarium should therefore include coral and rocks to make them feel at home.
9. The temperature of the tank should be 72 degrees to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. The pH range is 8.1 to 8.4.
11. They are part of the pomacentridae damselfish family, but there are more than 100 species of chromis within the genus subgroup. For that reason, they are sometimes referred to as blue-green damselfish.
12. The scientific name is chromis viridis.
13. Mature males in a nesting mode can sometimes be yellow.
14. Unlike some underwater animals, they don’t form lifelong, committed relationships with their partners in the wild. Instead, several males and several females will breed with one another.
15. When cared for properly, they can live for more than eight years.
Contact us for more information about how to care for your blue-green chromis or for other aquarium maintenance services in the Phoenix, Arizona area.
