Royal Gramma-Mean little fish!

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reefcowboy

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Messages
70
Location
New York
Hey,

I have a little Royal Gramma in my 20 gal and it is a mean little sucker. It opens its mouth and chases every shrimp, and fish that gets close to his spot where it sleeps...It has beaten badly some of my green chromis(one actually died and had signs of a throw down with the little devil)
After I add anything to the tank, it comes to it, stares it down and if the new addition makes any moves, it will try to intimidate it and show hows the boss in the hood....so beware when buying your royals reading out there they are pacific colorful fishies...they are mean... anyone had similar experience with a mean Royal gramma?
 
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You sure its a royal gamma and not a dotty back. Dotty back look similar and are very aggressive and will eat everything that it can.
 
Yes, I am 100% sure...Ive had dotty backs before, and they were not as mean ast the royal gramma!!
Mine is probably possessed!
 
Pic? Grammas aren't supposed to be mean. Yes, they will defend their cave, but not aggressively. More a show of force than anything else.
 
I have an orchid dottyback and he is the at the bottom of the pecking ordering my tank
 
How many fish do you have and what order did you put them in?

I have noticed a couple of my friends and I can have the same fish royal gamma being one and each one is individual.

Side note, I have a blue devil by himself in a 24 gallon tank. He is a fish I really want and I would rather have him in a tank by himself than beating up another fish.
 
I gotta say, it is true that they definitely protect their caves, but anything i add to the tank gets "checked out" by the Gramma, he comes close, observes the creature closely and usually tries to intimidate it. I personally saw it open its mouth, chase and bite a green chromis...
 
sizedRoyal_Gramma.sized.jpg
 
I've always had royal grammas in each of my tanks and they were always model citizens. You just got a grumpy one I guess lol.
 
Beautiful fish. Mine protects its island I have him in a 55 gallon tank with a six line, clown and lawnmower blenny. He does do the silent get out of my home scream when the clown or wrasse comes near. The lawnblenny he doesn't care about. I know when I float a bag in the tank all the fish go up and look to see who might be coming to live with them. The gamma does the closest inspection.
 
Mine has its moments, like said before usually when going near its turf. When I first got it, and introduced a peppermint shrimp, he chased that thing for days then all was good. I don't have any issues at all now (a year down the road) Current tankmakes are a clown, zebra bar goby, six-line wrasse. oh and a neon goby I almost never see, emerald crab, cleaner shrimp, lots of CUC. I do notice with having more tankmakes he does hid out in the caves more than when it was just two other fish with it.
 
Lol! Funny to hear somewhat similar stories...Joy 13, i laughed at your post....very funny how these fish can be so particular. I lenjoy my gramma, and agree its a very unique one. It does have its moments of cage rage, but at most times he behaves ok with the others which is enough for me.
 
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