Green Chromis

[Alfredomeinhardt]

I bought 4 green Chromis about 4 weeks ago, and three of them are doing just great. But one, about 1 week after i bought it, started to swim vertically, and it has been just in a corner of the tank at the surface, swimming like that ever since. I thought it was going to die, so I took it and put it in an acclimation box so I could check it and retrieve it if it died. But it hasn't died, it is just there vertically.

Any thoughts??

 

[cdemoss01]

@Jay Hemdal

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

@Jay Hemdal

??

 

[cdemoss01]

??

He's a fish medic. Could you possibly get a photo of its belly?

 

[cdemoss01]

Whats its breathing like?

 

[Rob A]

My guess is the other 3 were ganging up on it and when he is gone the other 2 will gang up on one and when there only 2 left one day there will be only one left it's the chromis way.

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

Whats its breathing like?

His breathing looks ok, other than it is breathing at the surface

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

Here are some more pictures

 

[cdemoss01]

My guess is the other 3 were ganging up on it and when he is gone the other 2 will gang up on one and when there only 2 left one day there will be only one left it's the chromis way.

I thought chromis were peaceful shoal fish?

 

[cdemoss01]

Here are some more pictures

Have you noticed it enlarge at all? In the stomach area?

 

[cdemoss01]

His breathing looks ok, other than it is breathing at the surface

Send a video if possible.

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

Have you noticed it enlarge at all? In the stomach area?

nope

 

[cdemoss01]

nope

Are its eyes sunken or cloudy? Any scraped or missing scales (sign of aggression) white or black spots?

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

Here is a video

 

[cdemoss01]

Here is a video

Thats odd.. Possible swim bladder issue? Wait for the fish medics to get here.
#fishmedic

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

Are its eyes sunken or cloudy? Any scraped or missing scales (sign of aggression) white or black spots?

No sunken eyes or cloudiness. It has a tiny little black speck on one side (you can see it in the pictures), but no scales missing or any sign of aggression.

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

Thats odd.. Possible swim bladder issue? Wait for the fish medics to get here.
#fishmedic

thank you

 

[Sharkbait19]

I can’t see the video on my end (YouTube link works best) but I would agree that aggression is likely.
Chromis are advertised as peaceful shoalers, but in smaller groups/tanks it’s common for them to gang up on each other until there’s just one left.
Hiding in the corner like that is pretty typical of any victim of aggression.

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

I can’t see the video on my end (YouTube link works best) but I would agree that aggression is likely.
Chromis are advertised as peaceful shoalers, but in smaller groups/tanks it’s common for them to gang up on each other until there’s just one left.
Hiding in the corner like that is pretty typical of any victim of aggression.

Any suggestions on what to do?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I bought 4 green Chromis about 4 weeks ago, and three of them are doing just great. But one, about 1 week after i bought it, started to swim vertically, and it has been just in a corner of the tank at the surface, swimming like that ever since. I thought it was going to die, so I took it and put it in an acclimation box so I could check it and retrieve it if it died. But it hasn't died, it is just there vertically.

Any thoughts??

It does have some damage to the upper lobe of the caudal fin caused by tankmate aggression. The swimming posture may or may not be related to that though.

Is the fish still isolated?
Is it still eating?