Green chromis
Chromis viridis
Also known as Blue-Green Chromis, Blue Green Reef Chromis, Green Reef Chromis
SaltwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F
- 24–28°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 3.1 in
- 8 cm
- Minimum tank
- 30 gal
- 115 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Schooling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Substrate spawner · Hard
- Rarity
- Very common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Pomacentridae
- Origin
- Indo-Pacific
Overview
The green chromis is a peaceful, active schooling fish that adds constant movement to a reef tank. It is easy to keep.
Did you know
The green chromis gets its shimmering blue-green color from the way light scatters across its body.
Caring for the green chromis
Keep green chromis in a school of at least eight, in a tank of 30 gal (115 L) or larger with open swimming space. Larger groups spread out aggression and keep the school tight.
Hold the water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Green chromis feed readily on frozen and prepared foods.
They are peaceful and reef safe, and they do not bother corals. In small groups or crowded tanks, they can form a pecking order. A dominant fish bullies the others and picks them off one by one, so the group dwindles over time. Experienced keepers start with a larger shoal for this reason.
The male tends a nest of demersal eggs laid on a cleared patch of substrate. Unlike clownfish larvae, the larvae are tiny and drift in the plankton, so captive breeding has historically been very difficult.
Good to know
The green chromis, Chromis viridis, is a planktivorous damselfish in the family Pomacentridae. It is also sold as the blue-green chromis or the green reef chromis.
In the wild
Green chromis form large shoals above branching Acropora and other staghorn corals, in shallow lagoons and reef flats across the Indo-Pacific. Whole shoals hover just above the coral, feeding on drifting plankton. When a predator appears, they drop into the branches for shelter.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The green chromis is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Cinnamon clownfish
Amphiprion melanopus
Saltwater4.7 in (12 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Clark's clownfish
Amphiprion clarkii
Saltwater5.5 in (14 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Yellow watchman goby
Cryptocentrus cinctus
Saltwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Camel / dancing shrimp
Rhynchocinetes durbanensis
Saltwater2 in (5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Fighting conch
Strombus alatus
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Starry goby
Asterropteryx semipunctata
Saltwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 13 gal (50 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a green chromis need?
A green chromis needs at least 30 gal (115 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a green chromis need?
A green chromis is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a green chromis eat?
A green chromis feeds readily on frozen and prepared foods.
How big does a green chromis get?
An adult green chromis reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).
Does a green chromis need a group?
Yes. A green chromis is a schooling species; keep at least 8 together.
Related species
4.7 in (12 cm)30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Black-axil chromis
Chromis atripectoralis
4.7 in (12 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)
5.1 in (13 cm)53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Blue chromis
Chromis cyanea
5.1 in (13 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Blue damsel
Chrysiptera cyanea
3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Fiji blue devil damsel
Chrysiptera taupou
3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Four-stripe damsel
Dascyllus melanurus
3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Ocellaris clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)