All fish / Pomacentridae

Ambon Chromis

Chromis amboinensis

Also known as ambon chromis, ambon puller, amboina chromis, amboina puller, アンボンスズメダイ, 安汶光鳃鱼

A small, deep-bodied chromis with a yellowish brown back fading to a paler belly, and a blue line or spots near the eye. It lives in loose groups above outer reef slopes, picking plankton from open water, and is kept as a peaceful, active shoaling fish for reef aquariums.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

8 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Group of 5 or more

Diet

Carnivore: zooplankton such as mysis and brine shrimp, copepods, quality marine flakes and pellets, fed several times a day

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Indonesia and the Philippines east to Melanesia, Micronesia and Samoa, south to northern Australia

Breeding

Males clear a nest site on rock and guard eggs laid on it until they hatch after a few days. The larvae are tiny and planktonic, so captive rearing is rarely achieved.

Good to know

It is one of the less common chromis in the trade and can be shy when first added. Keep it in a group in a large tank so squabbles are spread out, and avoid housing it with large predators.