All fish / Pomacentridae

Mediterranean Chromis

Chromis chromis

Also known as damselfish, mediterranean damselfish, damsel fish, brown chromis, castagnole, 地中海光鳃鱼

A small, deep-bodied damselfish with a deeply forked tail. Adults are dull brown, but juveniles are a vivid electric blue. People mostly keep it in cool-water Mediterranean or temperate marine tanks, where it schools actively in open water.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

14 to 24 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

Group of 5 or more

Diet

Carnivore: zooplankton, mysis, brine shrimp, copepods and quality marine flakes or pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic from Portugal to Angola

Breeding

Males clear a nest site on rock and guard eggs laid by one or more females in summer. Spawning has been seen in large public aquaria, but rearing the tiny planktonic larvae at home is very difficult.

Good to know

This is a subtropical to temperate species and does poorly in warm tropical reef tanks kept above about 25°C. Males can become territorial when breeding, so give plenty of space and rockwork.