Chromis Murderer?

[brose]

I'm about to start week 2 of owning this purple pseudochromis. I received my cleanup crew just before him. While a few of my scarlet reef hermits died within the first two days of arriving, I had a new death today I believe.

I came home from work this morning and found my chromis had a hermit coming out of his mouth. He was playing and sucking on this hermit like crazy. He finally spit it out and quit after about 20 minutes (that I saw).

I'm wondering if he actually had the speed and desire to pull this hermit out of his shell and eat him or if the hermit just happened to die. I don't think he just died, because all of the rest of my hermits seemed to be eating fine. It's weird anyway. What do you guys think? Here's a pic:

Here's a cool video of him playing with the corpse in his little territory hole:

http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/b ... V00114.flv

 

[little urchin]

oooo....he's bad!!!!...i have an orchid dottyback, which is a very similar colour to yours (but a different shape....is yours a 'strawberry' one?)...the only agression i have seen in mine was when i added my 6-line wrasse, and he tried to intimidate him for an evening....they are fine now....he's never been near my hermits, but they are reported to snack on ornamental shrimp (i just put 2 new small cleaners in and they are fine, but i'd be very wary with yours!!!)

 

[brose]

yeah, he's a strawberry. He also seems to bully my green clown goby, but he's got a ton of personality. He goes inside of a hole when the lights go out and he stays out of sight all night like he's sleeping. This is okay because I think the clown goby stays nocturnal anyway. I love the way he moves too. It's like he turns his head to what he's looking at before he moves the rest of his body.
It's cool but I hope I don't lose all of my hermits. They cost a lot more than he did.

 

[Jennie]

That's the aggressiveness that was mentioned before. I'd keep an eye on him with the other fish in the tank to make sure its just the hermits that he's picking on.

:sad:

 

[skipm]

Definitely watch this one. You may try feeding him more meaty foods, thats the way they house sharks with fish in public aquariums, they keep them fed to the point that they don't care about their normal prey swimming around them.

 

[Indians]

I have had this fish in two tanks of mine. I believe these fish should be in fish only tanks. They are big carnivores and I would never trust them with invertebres. They are very hardy and can be territorial with smaller fish.
good luck with him

 

[skipm]

Indians,
:welcome to nanotank!

 

[dragon79]

that's a great video. he's the jaws of the tank I see. Just give the guy meaty foods, and I think he'll get his fill and leave the others alone. Laterz

 

[EDGRAY]

what a nice pic and what an ferocious little fellow that makes me think i want some hermit legs for dinner... :lol: :lol: