Royal Gramma

I put a Royal Gramma in my tank last wednesday, along with a Bicolor Blenny and the Royal Gramma has been in hiding ever since. The way my rock is set up there is some room in the back, along with a couple small caves. The Royal Gramma has been in the back since the minute it hit the water. It swims around in the back, but it mainly hides in the cave. The Bi-color Blenny hangs out in front, and never seems to mess with the Royal Gramma. Does anyone have any input as to if the Royal Gramma will someday come out front and grace us with its presence? It is eating, so I'm not worried about it's health so much, just would like to see it a little easier.

Those are the only two fish in the tank.

I have had two royal grammas in the past. The first one I bought hid as soon as it hit the water. I saw it a couple days later and then never saw it again.  The other one I bought never hid and is doing well to this day.

I think you still have hope though. I did a lot of searching when my first one hid and heard a lot of strories of them hiding for a week or two.

Edited by BananaTropics

Oh yeah, Sean that's cool. Hanging upside down under a ledge or sideways/upside down in a cave is a cool characteristic of RGs. My first one was affectionatly named "Flower" by my youngest daughter. It was a male. I believe it is the male that creates a nest. Every bit of stray algae found it's way to that nest and then it started nipping algae off just to add to the nest. I wish I could have taken photos back then. The Brownie camera just didn't do macro shots

Connie wrote: So Adam, what other fish will bring out the shy ones???

Green chromis. 
But don't get your hopes up regarding Royal Grammas.  They are not hardy at all, and typically do poor in captivity.  Sad, but true.

Adam

Thank you for all the information. I appreciate it. I bought an RG 2 months ago and I saw it once the morning after putting it in the tank. I never saw it again. I even pulled the LR out and rearranged the tank. I only had a lawnmower blenny in at the time, some hermit crabs, snails and a couple peppermint shrimp. I figured maybe it just died and became shrimp and hermit crab food. I mainly bought it because it is bright and to try and get my 5yr. old a little more interested in fish.

Connie wrote: I have one that looks more like a whale.. What a fatty. I would   recommend getting an Anthias and I sure Adam can help with more types of fish. For some reason there are certin species which tend to draw out shy fish by just being in the same tank. I have my Gramma and Pheosdogramma (sp) that used to hide all the time. Someone told me to buy an Athias so I did. Now I cant get them to go in.. They are out all the time. So Adam, what other fish will bring out the shy ones???

Since I don't get to sound smart very often I just wanted to say that those fish that help draw others out are called "dither fish".  These are the fish that are not shy and seem to show the other fish in the tank that everything is OK out here in the water column and there is no need to be scared and hide behind the rock. 

On the other hand there are fish that scare the other fish and make them go behind the rocks and in the caves.  These are called "You &#$%$# little bugger" fish.  Like my Yellow Tang that won't let my Purple Tang out of its hidey hole.


As far as Royal Grammas go I have kept one successfully in my office tank and have had 2 die in my home tank within days on introducing them.  I don't know if it's the tank or the fish. 

I know they don't get along with each other the greatest, but I loved the look of Rick's tank at From the Sea when it had 20 or so Royal Gramma's in it.  Very, very cool.

Edited by wsinbad1