Purple Chromis

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Semi-aggressive   • Maximum Size: 4"
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons   • Water Conditions: 72-80° F, dKH 8-12, sg 1.020-1.025, pH 8.1-8.4
• Diet: Omnivore   • Origin: Western Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, Northern Brazil
• Family: Pomacentridae   • Species: Chromis   • Aquarium Type: Reef Compatible

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Purple Chromis (Chromis scotti) are found throughout coastal Western Atlantic and Caribbean reefs, where groups of them can be found swimming in and about the reef. Juvenile Purple Chromis are completely purple and blue in coloration with neon purple markings near their eyes and forehead. As they grow into adulthood, their bodies begin to change to a grayish color fading to white on the underside, with bright purple and blue markings on their fins and near their eyes. Purple Chromis do best in small groups or mixed with other similar Chromis species. They are semi-aggressive amongst themselves and tend to be very peaceful towards dissimilar tank mates.

Some adult specimens become territorial over time, but this can generally be avoided by keeping them in well stocked aquariums or adding them as juveniles to an established aquarium. They are equally at home in either reef or FOWLR aquarium setups, and are suitable for all hobbyist levels. They are available from local fish stores and online retailers from time to time, generally labeled as Purple Chromis, Purple Reef Fish, Indigo Damsel or simply by their scientific name Chromis scotti.

Purple Chromis do best in the home aquarium when they are kept in small groups and housed with tank mates that are peaceful to semi-aggressive in temperament. A suitable aquarium for this species should be at least 30 gallons in size, with a sand or crushed coral substrate, plenty of live rock and areas of open swimming space. A good amount of live rock is important for overall health of tank inhabitants and water quality; as well as, to provide security to the Purple Chromis who will spend most of their time interacting with each other while swimming around in the open as a group.

They will utilize the live rock for emergency shelter and during the night, but mainly rely on each other for security. A well established reef with plenty of live rock will encourage the Purple Chromis to swim about the aquarium more freely, as they will feel confident that they can retreat to a rocky cave if needed. They are very peaceful with other fish species, but will sometimes argue among themselves;however, they are much happier when kept as a group than as a single specimen or a pair. They can be housed with a wide variety of tank mates as long as they are not highly aggressive or territorial species that will harass or prey on them.

In the wild Purple Chromis feed on zooplankton that are found in large quantities just above the reef. In the home aquarium, they are very easy to feed and will readily accept a wide variety of live, frozen, freeze-dried, and vitamin enriched brine shrimp, cyclop-eeze mysis shrimp, chopped krill, and blood worms as well as other prepared meaty marine foods in addition to their natural craving for amphipods, copepods, and other planktonic treats. They will also accept carnivore, omnivore, and herbivore pellets and flake foods. Feed 2 to 3 times per day the amount of food they will consume within a few minutes.