Disappearing Chromis

[sooz]

Yesterday I drip acclimated 3 blue-green chromis to my tank. About an hour after I added them to the tank they were all visible - 2 hanging together and the other a bit apart. When I checked the tank again about an hour later, I could only find 2. There is just one place in the very back of the tank where he could have possibly jumped out, so I got my flashlight and carefully examined the carpet behind the tank (it is a hex tank, so it is not a large area). No sign of him there or anywhere on the carpet near the tank.
This morning I still only see two Chromis. Do these guys ever hunker down in the LR and hide? I don't have anything in the tank that could have killed him, I don't think (1 tang, 1 coral beauty, and 2 PJ cardinals).

 

[deltablack22]

I dont think its possible that it could be hiding in the LR. Mine always swim in open water except at night when they huddle in the upper corners of the tank. Even if I have my hand in the tank cleaning it and intentionally scare them behind the LR, once I move my hand they are right back in the open. Those guys are pretty bold... Hell they even pick at my hands now when I put em in the tank.
Sorry to be a pessimist but from what I've seen of their behavior it sounds unlikely to me...

 

[bbailey231]

Originally Posted by sooz
Yesterday I drip acclimated 3 blue-green chromis to my tank. About an hour after I added them to the tank they were all visible - 2 hanging together and the other a bit apart. When I checked the tank again about an hour later, I could only find 2. There is just one place in the very back of the tank where he could have possibly jumped out, so I got my flashlight and carefully examined the carpet behind the tank (it is a hex tank, so it is not a large area). No sign of him there or anywhere on the carpet near the tank.
This morning I still only see two Chromis. Do these guys ever hunker down in the LR and hide? I don't have anything in the tank that could have killed him, I don't think (1 tang, 1 coral beauty, and 2 PJ cardinals).

I couldn't find one of mine for more than a week and was sure it was gone and eatten or whatever then one day it reappeared. It is probably hiding.

 

[smartorl]

My thoughts are if it is hiding it is probably ill. The fact that one was apart from the others backs that up. I would use a flashlight to really look for him. If he is in the rocks sick or dying, you need to know. It is not in their behavior to hide. Bbailey, I think this is likely what happened with yours as well, but yours got better on it's own and returned to the open water of the tank.

 

[bizkitpug]

I have 5 in my tank and they are together usually but when lights go out they hide. Sometimes you cant find them at all, then when lights come on, they slowly come out again. Sometimes they take awhile.

 

[ric maniac]

i had the same thing happen! i bought three green chromis and within a week they had all dissapeared! i never even found the bodies. if you have a cleanup crew dont be surprised if you never find the body.

 

[sooz]

I do have a clean up crew - shouldn't my ammonia spike, though, if I have a dead fish? Hmmmmm

 

[bbailey231]

Originally Posted by sooz
I do have a clean up crew - shouldn't my ammonia spike, though, if I have a dead fish? Hmmmmm

If your clean up crew ate it I wouldn't think it would raise....but I could be wrong!

 

[rbaldino]

In all liklihood, the stronger two probably picked the weaker one off. Usually, if you want a group of schooling chromis, it's best to go with more than three, say 5-7, that way their aggression is spread out a bit more and you have a better chance of still having a school if any get taken out.

 

[althemean]

on an interesting note...I do have a blue damsel who was a big bully. I put him in my QT when I broke down the DT to get out the damsels. I put two peices of LR in the QT. The blue damsel who is by himself in there has found a hole in the LR and frequently hides in it. He is not sick or stressed and has been in that tank for over a month. I even pulled the rock out one time when doing some maint and put it in a bucket...guess where the fish was...in the bucket. He swam out then went back into the hole. I didnt even need to net him to put it back in the tank.
Point is....damsel fish do sometimes hide out in rocks.

 

[bbailey231]

Originally Posted by althemean
on an interesting note...I do have a blue damsel who was a big bully. I put him in my QT when I broke down the DT to get out the damsels. I put two peices of LR in the QT. The blue damsel who is by himself in there has found a hole in the LR and frequently hides in it. He is not sick or stressed and has been in that tank for over a month. I even pulled the rock out one time when doing some maint and put it in a bucket...guess where the fish was...in the bucket. He swam out then went back into the hole. I didnt even need to net him to put it back in the tank.
Point is....damsel fish do sometimes hide out in rocks.
Yeah, my chromis is a loner and still hides (probably b/c he is the only one I have

) from time to time....I will miss him a few days and then he will resurface. I haven't been able to find his hole though. Everytime he disappears I am sure he is gone, but then there he is again.... he has been doing it six months. He was one of the first fish I bought.

 

[sooz]

A piece of the missing chromis appeared today. so apparently he did die, tho the nature of his death remains a mystery. I bought 3 more today from same store, same tank, so I have 5 now - so far, so good at the 7 hour mark (4 hours in the tank, 3 in drip). They seem to be schooling pretty nicely.
Do you think my purple lobster could have snagged that 1 chromis?? Or probably was he bullied by the other 2? (lobster came with tank and i never see him - no love lost if we decide to get rid of him - given the choice I would rather have the chromis)

 

[phishface]

No sounds like he was sick. I have had varying luck w/ chromis. I tried to keep as the above stated 5-7 in a school to lessen the aggression. I have a 125 with lots of rock. I also have some strong flow, big pwr heads in tank got at least 3 of em. Everytime I get the school back to 5-7 not a full day passes before a death. Always back to 4. Im done with them. If these 4 dont make it, so be it. I think its nature, the space Im providing only supports 4............call me crazy. Good luck

 

[sooz]

My Mom has tried Chromis several times in her 125 gallon, and to quote her "You can't trust a Chromis" - hers all disappear eventually.
I still have 5, though, at approx. 24 hour mark. *crosses fingers*

 

[f14peter]

Originally Posted by sooz
My Mom has tried Chromis several times in her 125 gallon, and to quote her "You can't trust a Chromis" - hers all disappear eventually.
I still have 5, though, at approx. 24 hour mark. *crosses fingers*
A pack of 5 Blue-Greens were the first fish in our tank, going in last October ... still have the same five. Four of the five are inseperable, one spends about half his time with the herd, the other half hangin' around our two clowns (Either an identity crisis or he's a wannabe clown).
I find them fascinating fish and like how they change color depending upon lighting conditions. Being quite slender, they can get into some pretty tight spots ... ours overnight in a spot behind some rocks that you think wouldn't even hold one. I also get a kick out of how they swim ... they don't use their tail for motivation, only their pectoral fins, which gives them some amazing manueverability, they can bob around like an aquatic helicopter, move straight up or straight down, forward or backward, really amazing.

 

[trigger11]

I have had similar experience as Peter. I got 4 green guys in December and still have all 4 of them. 3 of them hang out all the time. The other one hides a bit more. When the lights come on in the morning the three will come out and start looking for food. It takes that 4th one a while to join them. And even then he doesnt stay with them the entire day. Kind of a weird little bugger but that is what is so cool about these fish. They all have their own little personality.

 

[becky913]

I had one "comit suicide" by jumping out. Look behind your tank.

 

[sooz]

Well, I am down to 4 Chromis - but the body was not missing - I found it plastered to the powerhead intake. I think it was Clyde - he had been hanging off by himself for the last couple of days. The other 4 stick together and seem to be doing really well. *crosses fingers* I love watching them!

 

[mommafishinmd]

Originally Posted by sooz
Well, I am down to 4 Chromis - but the body was not missing - I found it plastered to the powerhead intake. I think it was Clyde - he had been hanging off by himself for the last couple of days. The other 4 stick together and seem to be doing really well. *crosses fingers* I love watching them!

Good Luck

we shall all cross our fingers for ya!

 

[bbailey231]

Originally Posted by sooz
Well, I am down to 4 Chromis - but the body was not missing - I found it plastered to the powerhead intake. I think it was Clyde - he had been hanging off by himself for the last couple of days. The other 4 stick together and seem to be doing really well. *crosses fingers* I love watching them!
Get some foam filters for the intakes....that way no no one gets sucked up. I learned the hard way...when one of my stars was stuck to it!