All fish / Pomacentridae

Barrier Reef Chromis

Chromis nitida

Also known as barrier reef chromis, yellow-speckled chromis, shining chromis, nitida chromis, chromis nitidus, ヒメスズメダイ, 亮光光鳃鱼

A small, deep-bodied damselfish with a silvery grey to bluish body, a yellowish belly and a dark band running from the eye along the back. It shoals in open water over the rockwork and is kept as a hardy, reef-safe and fairly peaceful alternative to other chromis.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

7 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Group of 5 or more, ideally an odd number

Diet

Carnivore: zooplankton feeder; mysis, brine shrimp, copepods and quality marine flakes or pellets several times a day

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: eastern Australia, mainly the Great Barrier Reef, to New Caledonia and southern Japan

Breeding

Males clear a nest site on rock and guard demersal eggs laid by one or more females. Spawning happens occasionally in aquariums, but rearing the tiny planktonic larvae needs live rotifers and copepods and is rarely achieved.

Good to know

Within a group a pecking order forms and weaker fish may be bullied to death in small tanks, and it can be territorial towards other damselfish. Large boisterous tangs or angelfish can stop it settling.