Blue reef chromis is a saltwater fish that is desirable among aquarists due to its attractive appearance and peaceful demeanor. The fish is coral-reef friendly that can be kept with most corals, invertebrates, and community fish.
In this guide, you will learn about blue reef chromis size, habitat, aquarium set up, water conditions, and other useful blue reef chromis care facts.
| Category | Rating |
| Level of Care | Easy |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Appearance | Blue/Green |
| Life Expectancy | About 8 – 15 years |
| Size | Up to 4 inches |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Family | Pomacentridae |
| Aquarium (Tank) Size | 30 gallon |
| Water Conditions | 72°F – 80°F (22°C – 27°C); pH 8.1 – 8.4 |
| Aquarium (Tank) Environment | Saltwater; coral |
| Aquarium (Tank) Mates | Reef compatible; any peaceful fish |
Blue Reef Chromis Overview
Blue reef chromis is a saltwater fish that belongs to the family Pomacentridae. Other fish in this family include clownfish and damselfish. The fish has a peaceful temperament that makes them easy to care both for beginners and expert aquarists.
Blue chromis fish are a great saltwater fish that you can keep in both reef and fish-only aquariums. The fish is highly active that darts from one corner of the aquarium to another. You can watch them swim elegantly from the middle to the bottom of the tank.
Natural Habitat
Blue reef chromis fish are native to the reefs in the Indo-Pacific and South Pacific region. In the natural habitat, the fish thrives among branching corals and prefer swimming in large shoals. They are mostly found in large shoals of 100 or more.
Blue chromis are commonly found in mid-depth to shallow lagoons in the wild. The fish is very active at swim in the ocean at great speeds. To feed, the fish face the current that allows them to feed planktonic foods like shrimp larvae, copepods, and amphipods.
The fish switch their diet during the summer when they are near the shores of Okinawa Japan eating algae, zooplankton, and phytoplankton.
Blue Reef Chromis Appearance
Blue reef chromis are known for their attractive appearance. The blue dorsal side of the fish fades elegantly fades into the pale green belly. Due to the blue and green color, the fish is also called blue green reef chromis fish.
A group of these swimming through the aquarium will provide flashes of blue and green as the light reflects their body.
The blue chromis species have an oval-shaped body with a distinctive forked tail. The fork-shaped tail fin allows the fish to swim at great speed.
They also have orbital papillae and small rounded protuberances on the bottom edge of the eye that is said to reduce turbulence when swimming fast away from the predators.
Blue chromis fish don’t have color variations. Both the male and the female have the same color. The color also remains the same as they grow. The exception is the adult male during the mating season that turns yellow with a black tail.
Sometimes blue chromis fish is confused with the black axel chromis. But they are two different species. Blue chromis has a shorter body while the black axil body is slender and longer. There is also no black botch on the pectoral fin of blue reef chromis that is present in black axil fish.
Another similar-looking fish is the yellow edge chromis that is native to the Caribbean. Some stores wrongly advertise them as ‘Caribbean blue reef chromis for sale’. You can differentiate blue reef chromis from the length of the body that is smaller. Blue chromis fish is about half the sizes of the Caribbean yellow-edged chromis.
Blue Reef Chromis Behavior: Are Blue Reef Chromis Aggressive?
Blue reef chromis are one of the most peaceful saltwater fish. The fish have a peaceful temperament. They are not territorial and don’t attack other fish even if kept in a small aquarium. An exception is the time of the spawning where they can become aggressive to each other.
Blue chromis fish are highly active. They swim at a quick pace from one side of the aquarium to another. Watching them swim in a group of five or more can be mesmerizing. They tend to swim through the corals in perfect synchronization.
Mostly the fish swim in the middle section of the aquarium. They are playful fish that will keep each other entertained inside the tank. The fish prefer to swim and also sleep within the coral. You should make sure that there are lots of corals inside the aquarium.
An interesting aspect of blue reef chromis behavior is that they tend to form a hierarchy similar to the pecking order of chickens. The weak blue chromis at the bottom of the hierarchy will be the most submissive while the ‘alpha’ fish at the top of the hierarchy will be the most dominant.
To prevent alpha blue reef chromis bully weak ones, you should keep a group of at least six in the aquarium. This will prevent the alpha from bullying other fish too much. The aggression will be spread out among the fish resulting in less bullying.
Blue Reef Chromis Aquarium (Tank) Mates
Blue reef chromis makes a great community fish. The peaceful temperament of the fish means that they can be kept with a wide variety of different fish. You should keep them with other non-violent fish such as Butterflies, Basslets, and Blennies. They are compatible with reef aquariums and you can keep them with corals.
You can also keep the fish with semi-aggressive fish like gouramis, tangs, and angelfish. But if you see the fish spends most of the time in the corner of the aquarium, you should keep the fish in a different aquarium from the aggressive fish. You should keep blue reef chromis with semi-aggressive fish only if the tank is large.
And remember the larger fish rule. If a fish is large enough to swallow blue reef chromis whole, you should not keep it in the aquarium. The opposite is also true. You should not keep blue chromis with a small fish that it can swallow accidentally.
Blue reef chromis won’t harm invertebrates. This means that you can keep them with shrimps, snails, and other small crustaceans. They are one of the best behaved fish you can keep in your aquarium.
Aquarium Conditions for Blue Reef Chromis
Blue reef chromis are hardy fish that can thrive in less than perfect water conditions. However, you should still take care with water as dirty water can result in illnesses. The cleaning cycle depends on the size of the aquarium.
If you keep the fish in a small aquarium, you need to change about 15 percent of water twice a month. For larger tanks above 60-gallon capacity, you should change about 30 percent water once a month.
Consider keeping the water temperature inside the aquarium between 72°F – 80°F (22°C – 27°C). The pH value inside the aquarium should be kept between 8.1 and 8.4.
Water movement is not important for saltwater fishes. But if you have installed an air pump, you should ensure that the current isn’t too strong that will prevent the fish from moving inside the aquarium.
Blue Reef Chromis Aquarium Setup
You should mimic the natural environment to ensure that blue reef chromis remains happy and healthy. The fish thrive in reef conditions. You should have plenty of corals inside the aquarium. Corals give comfort to the fish and give them a nice place to sleep.
The aquarium should also have planted sections with algae that the fish can graze on. Moreover, there should be rocks and caves inside the aquarium that will serve as a hiding place for the fish.
Blue chromis has a small body that grows to about 4 inches. Since blue reef chromis fish size is small, you can keep them in a small aquarium with 30 gallons of water.
Blue Reef Chromis Fish Food: What Do Blue Reef Chromis Eat?
Blue reef chromis fish is an omnivore. The fish will eat both plant and marine meat. They are scavenger in the native habitat and eat whatever is available and also fits their mouth.
The fish has been observed eating larva, copepods, Mysis shrimp, phytoplankton, algae, and zooplankton. They will also eat unhatched eggs of other fishes.
You must feed a variety of foods to the fish similar to their diet in the wild. They are typically not picky about what food you give them. You should feed the fish flakes, frozen food such as Mysis shrimp or krill, marine meat, pellets, and vegetables.
Depending on the size of the aquarium, you can feed them two to four times a day. You should give them enough food that they can consume in about five minutes. Feeding too much is a common beginner mistake that can result in poor water quality and make them prone to diseases.
Breeding Blue Reef Chromis
Breeding blue reef chromis requires ideal water parameters. Both males and females have a similar color, shape, and size. But males tend to change to a more yellowing coloring during breeding. Aquarists have found that the fish tend to breed after every two weeks.
While a group of reef chromis fish is generally peaceful, they tend to become aggressive with other species when it is time to breed. In the wild, chromis don’t form pair and instead several females and males mate with each other.
Each male will establish a territory near the seafloor. The males will circle the females and she will follow to the spawning site if in breeding mode. A male will repeat the behavior with several females until the nesting site becomes full. After mating the female will scatter the egg on the nesting site that will attach to the algal mat.
Eggs of the fish are smaller as compared to the clownfish. They are generally just 0.6 mm in length and 0.4 mm in width. Keeping them from being eaten by other fish will be difficult. Crabs, wrasses, brittle stars, and serpent stars will particularly eat the eggs.
Males will closely guard the eggs on their territory and keep them ventilated by fanning them. They will also eat eggs that have gone bad to avoid contaminating the rest of the eggs.
Blue chromis eggs will hatch after about 2 to 3 days. The fish will remain in the larval stage from three to seven weeks depending on the temperature of the water.
They normally hatch about an hour after dark and they have a better chance of surviving the predators. You should feed them baby brine shrimp several times in a day.
Consider placing the eggs in a separate aquarium before they hatch. This will ensure that the young fry are not eaten by other fishes including their own parents.
Common Diseases in Blue Chromis Fish
Blue reef fish will remain healthy if you keep the water clean. Dirty water conditions can result in different diseases. They are susceptible to viral and bacterial infections in case of poor quality water.
While the fish are hardy that can tolerate different water temperatures and pH levels, the fish can easily become ill if the water quality is poor.
Blue chromis fish will also become ill if they are stressed out. They will become tense if the group is too small or the water tank is small.
Blue reef chromis is susceptible to parasitic diseases. Common parasitic diseases that can afflict blue chromis fish include the marine ich (Cryptocaryon irritans), marine velvet (Oodinium ocellatum), and Uronema (Uronema marinum).
Marine ich is easily treatable if caught early. Look for white spots on the body that shows that the fish has the salt water ich. Marine velvet is a more serious and common disease that afflicts blue reef chromis. The parasitic disease mainly infects the gills and is difficult to treat.
Uromnema is generally a secondary infection that is often fatal. The disease progresses quickly and the fish dies within a few days. Fish that are afflicted with uromnema display a lack of appetite. The disease is commonly contracted when the salinity level of the water becomes low.
Mostly it occurs when aquarists lower the salinity of the water to treat another condition but do not lower it enough. The parasite grows in brackish water that has a specific gravity between 1.013 and 1.020.
You should treat blue reef chromis similar to any other saltwater fish. The fish responds well to the standard treatment for these diseases.
Introducing fish caught from the wild or live rock can also introduce illnesses. You should properly quarantine and clean anything new that you add to the aquarium.
The best prevention is to ensure that the water condition inside the aquarium is ideal. Test the water quality every week to check for any irregularity. The water should be tested to ensure that it is good quality with no or low nitrite, nitrates or ammonia.
Proper aquarium size, tank mates, and water quality is important to ensure that the fish remains free of diseases. Bullying can create stress that can cause them to become ill. So, you should keep any aggressive fish separate from blue reef chromis. Quarantine any new fish you buy from the pet store before introducing them into the tank. This is important as a diseased fish will pass on the infection to others.
Related Questions about Blue Reef Chromis
How Many Blue Reef Chromis in an Aquarium?
Blue reef chromis school in large shoals in the wild. You should keep at least six in the aquarium. Adding a group in the aquarium will add a dazzling shimmer of beauty to any reef aquarium.
Are Blue Reef Chromis Safe for Reef Aquariums?
Blue reef chromis reef are safe for reef aquariums. They will dart in and out of the coral in a group. The fish live among corals like Acropora in the wild. They do not pick on the corals either in the wild or in the aquarium.
What is the Price of Blue Reef Chromis?
You can find blue reef chromis for sale in many online and local saltwater fish stores. The fish is highly affordable costing just about $10 each. You can buy six stunning blue chromis for just $60.
Make sure that you check the fish carefully for signs of diseases before buying them. Consider quarantining the fish for a few weeks before introducing them to the aquarium.
Are Blue Reef Chromis Ideal for Your Aquarium?
Blue reef chromis is a hardy fish that can live for decades. They can be successfully bred in the home aquarium. The fish are recommended for beginner aquarists.
Caring for the blue reef chromis fish is not that difficult. You should feed a variety of food and keep the water clean.
The effort in caring for the fish will reward you in the form of a breathtaking display of shimmering shoals of blue and green. They are an entertaining fish and are fun to watch and dart inside the aquarium.
