Friday afternoon, I purchased a school of 5 Blue Reef Chromis, but as I had other errands to run before I went home, I didn't pick them up until yesterday evening. As it turns out, I only came home with 4 after one apparently jumped Friday night after being moved from the display into a holding tank in the back. No worries- I used the credit for a six-line wrasse for my 20g!
Anywho, I get home, set the fish bag upright inside a pitcher and begin the acclimation process. Every time I approach the pitcher to add/remove water, these fish freak out to the point I can feel them banging their heads against the pitcher walls. Concerned that the fish might injure themselves, I hurry through acclimation and get them into my 90g. (No, I did not quarantine... bad, bad Tracy... story for another day).
Naturally, the fish all bolt and hide as soon as they hit the water. No biggie. The problem arises as the fish calm down and start coming out to explore. I have 3 Blue Reef Chromis and 1 Blue Damsel. I was SO ****ed... I ranted & raved for I don't know how long. First, I was mad at myself - how could I not notice? Then I was mad at the LFS - what the heck happened to my other chromis? ARG!!!
I calmed down overnight and came downstairs this morning not knowing what to expect when I peered into my tank. After observing for the day, I feel really bad for this poor damsel. He tries schooling with the chromis, but after a bit he moves on to hang out with the clowns. The female nips at him, and he moves on again. Then the tang comes after him. The tang has been chasing all of the new additions to a certain extent, but he really hates the damsel... they've both broken the water's surface during a few of the chases. I'm hoping the tang will get over his big, bad self and leave everyone alone, and then I hope that the damsel doesn't turn around and become the resident jerk.
I hope all works out. sounds like the current folks will keep him in check. I would be upset as well. Unless you got a good deal the LFS should owe you some credit...
I once had a damsel hitchhike in with some LR. It was my very first load. I put the rock in one evening and the next morning there he was swimming around to my surprise. He survived as the lone resident for a few months as the tank stabilized through a few more LR additions. He was quite comfortable and had made himself right at home, which didn't pose a problem until it was time to add more fish...
Now let's just say he is the lone resident living in the less luxurious basement/fug.
It would be much more trouble some if one got in now... Good luck and thanks for sharing.
I am (at some level) still aggravated that I have this damsel when I should have another fish, but at this point in my personal life I cannot fuss too much about it, and honestly he's been really well behaved. One of the new chromis has made a home inside a non-functioning Koralia powerhead (no worries - it is not plugged in!), but other than him the fish all seem to be very comfortable in their new home. The tang still raises heck now and then, but overall the newbies are all settled in. I intend to get some pics (and maybe some choppy video via a cybershot) in the next few days :P
BTW, the 6 line is doing great in the 20g... he is bravely thwarting the attacks of the royal gramma.
Tank buddies: Leather corals, Christmas tree worms, 'shrooms, etc.
True Percula Clownfish (WAS the male half of a pair) Buddy
Royal Gramma- Flash
Six Line Wrasse- Puck
Actually, there are only two worms left ... they've mysteriously dwindled away over the past year. I'm not sure what has been getting at them, but it all started back around the time I found that whelk in the tank. So, down to two. The six-line deosn't seem the least bit interested in them.
The two small chromis didn't make it. I was working on some pics yesterday, until we had an accident. We ran over our cat, and I was in the emergeny vet office until 11pm. I'll see about going through the rest of them sometime this afternoon.
Here's a pic of the remaining chromis (he's a pretty big guy, about 3") and the damsel. Please forgive the poor quality... I haven't razor cleaned the glass in a couple of months, and the camera kept trying to focus on the grime rather than the fish, lol. I wish the pics were more true in color. The damsel seems to have glowing spots while the rest of him is gray... he really looks a nice deep blue all over. As for the chromis, I never noticed the purple spot over his eye. To me he is a nice, deep indigo color. Funny how the camera distorts what our eyes see...