All fish / Pomacentridae

Yellow-speckled Chromis

Chromis flavomaculata

Also known as yellowspotted chromis, yellow-spotted chromis, yellow speckled chromis, yellowspeckled chromis, コガネスズメダイ, 黄斑光鳃鱼

This is a fairly large chromis, dusky olive to brown in colour with small yellow speckles on the body and a yellowish tail. It comes from subtropical reefs and is kept by marine aquarists who want a hardy, active open-water damselfish that grows bigger than the common green chromis.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

14 cm

Temperature

22 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

Singly or a small group in a large tank

Diet

Omnivore: mysis, brine shrimp, krill, marine flakes and pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: southern Japan, Taiwan, Australia (Great Barrier Reef, Lord Howe), New Caledonia

Breeding

Males clear a nest site on rock, and the females lay sticky eggs there for the male to guard until they hatch. The larvae are pelagic, so raising them in captivity is very difficult and rarely done.

Good to know

It grows larger and becomes more territorial than most chromis, so it needs plenty of swimming space. It prefers somewhat cooler water than typical tropical reef fish.