What are my chromis doing?

[KVYA]

They swim up to each other head to head and open up their mouths to the point where they're kissing basically

 

[jenreefer]

Awwww, how sweet. I have never seen this behavior, but suspect courting behavior.

For anyone reading this, I have been informed (see posts below)that this is actually fighting behavior. Sooooooooo, not soo sweet.

 

[AcroNem]

Do you only have two? Breeding them is essentially impossible. Even in our 300k gallon shark system I've never seen breeding behavior with the school we keep. Which is sad. With only two it's likely they're just sparring. If they start digging anywhere then you can look for eggs (;

 

[KVYA]

Do you only have two? Breeding them is essentially impossible. Even in our 300k gallon shark system I've never seen breeding behavior with the school we keep. Which is sad. With only two it's likely they're just sparring. If they start digging anywhere then you can look for eggs (;

I used to have three but then one of them started to become ill and lethargic and got eaten by my anemone. Thx

 

[KVYA]

Awwww, how sweet. I have never seen this behavior, but suspect courting behavior.

Okay. Thanks

 

[KVYA]

I forgot to add that while they're doing it, the clownfish just comes in and breaks it apart

 

[eatbreakfast]

They are involved in a territorial dispute. This is fighting, not sparring.

If it were breeding they would spawn on a surface, such as back of the tank or a clean rock. They would defend the eggs against other fish in the tank.

I would venture that these both are male.

 

[evolved]

^ Yup

Nothing sweet to be seen here; this is a death match. :(

 

[jenreefer]

bummer, that sucks

 

[Empress]

I got 4 of these guys and the largest one goes mouth to mouth with the smallest one. Neither one of them gets hurt, but yes they are fighting not kissing.

 

[justin.k.nelson]

What others have said. mouth to mouth is basically a show of who is more dominant. like rams they will fight for dominance

 

[Acro maniac]

Mine also ingage in warfare

 

[Zack K]

I Have a school of 6 and they all seem to be loving it. Good to know that they show this behavior. I will be on the lookout now.

 

[d-man]

Zack,
They'll be down to 1 in a few months

 

[KVYA]

Thank you guys for the advice. Is there any way to lessen this aggression? Adding another chromis during lights out?

I haven't actually seen them full on attack each other though

 

[d-man]

Yeah, take 1 out

 

[KVYA]

Yeah, take 1 out

I thought it wasn't good to have them by themselves though?

 

[d-man]

They end up being individuals anyway, unless you have a very large tank, and a hefty size shoal. But even then, they tend to single the weakest one out, it will starve, and so on, and so on.

 

[4FordFamily]

Zack,
They'll be down to 1 in a few months

Agree.

 

[eatbreakfast]

What size tank? I've had quite a bit of success keeping groups long-term i mms tanks 4' or longer. Larger groups(8+), frequent feedings a day, high flow in the top of the tank.

A small group of just a few individuals, smaller tank, and only one to two feedings a day lead to increased aggression.