Fish Compatibility Question

thedandandandy · Feb 25, 2012

Hi all. I got a new fish today as well as some lace and live rock. He is an Indigo Dottyback. I plan on getting a Royal Gramma, and I'm reading conflicting things about their compatibility in my tank. The lfs worker told me they would be fine together as long as there was plenty of hiding spots and caves so that each has a space of their own to claim as home base. One website and the compatibility chart said they weren't compatible, while other websites say they are compatible with each other even though they are the same shape. Had anyone had experience with this, good or bad? I'm hoping for good news because I definitely still want to get the gramma. I was told that both won't allow another of the same species in the tank with them, but since they aren't, they'd be fine. Just want to get the facts straight and get advice.

Thanks,
Daniel

Joe S · Feb 25, 2012

IMO, it depends on the size of your tank. The larger your tank, the better the chance they will get along.

thedandandandy · Feb 25, 2012

Thanks for the opinion. Once the dottyback got used to the tank, he bunked up in a cave formed by overlapping live rock. So I think he's happy. Now let's just hope he stays that way once the gramma is here in a week or so. There are quite a few more caves and crevices for him to call home once I get one in my tank.

Tabasco1 · Feb 25, 2012

I think it will depend on tank size. If you are working with a 20-30... not saying it definately wouldn't work, but odds would be against you. If you are working with 90+ I'd say odds are in your favor though also not a guarantee.

Otter_rs · Feb 25, 2012

Grammas are one of the less aggressive basslets. They can be kept in groups if they are added together and small. I had 12 in a 300 and they would breed like rabbits. They all got along. It probably would have been better to add the Gramma first. I have had luck in that order. You may have problems since you added the Dottyback first as they tend to be more territorial than the Grammas. Hope it works out.

thedandandandy · Feb 25, 2012

@tabasco: well, then keep your fingers crossed. Because I chose to start of small for my first tank. Hah

@otter: I actually had a gramma first. Unfortunately a loud and overly bubbly skimmer function gave him a heart attack. At least I think that's what happened. He was fine for two months and an hour after the skimmer messed up sending bubbles, noise and hard vibrations through my tank, he was gone.

I just couldn't pass this blue fish up. I'm actually not sure what it is. Closest match was the indigo dotty back. This one has black, sky blue and WHITE bars along the length of it's body. Hopefully these two fish will play nice even if I ended up having to do it backwards. I'll keep y'all posted and here's a pic of the dottyback

thedandandandy · Feb 25, 2012

Oh and PS. Everywhere around me is out of grammas unfortunately. That's why I'm "forced" to wait. Because I don't really want to order one offline.

thedandandandy · Feb 25, 2012

One last thing for now. On another thread, a r2r member noticed his pair of clowns were fighting, so he put one in an acclimation box for a few days to see if they would get along. I wonder if that would work here. If the gramma had a chance to get settled while the dottyback was in the acclimation box, then once the gramma has claimed a cave, I set the dottyback loose. Would that better my chances?

Otter_rs · Feb 26, 2012

Can you catch the dottyback? You may want to put the gramma into an acclimation pin and see if there is aggression first. If there isn't, take the chance and put him in with the lights out. If there is aggression, consider catching the dottyback and swap them.

Tabasco1 · Feb 26, 2012

If you can catch the dottyback into acclimation box while the gramma get comfy and redo your aqua scape at the same time so the dotty thinks he is someplace new, that would probably be your best bet. You can also monitor for aggression and see how it goes before he is released.

Good luck!

thedandandandy · Feb 27, 2012

I will get an acclimation box and see how they react to one another and then if it looks okay, I'll switch up the squad ape and turn the lights out and let the gramma free. Thanks for the advice guys!

thedandandandy · Mar 3, 2012

Bump/ update. So, the gramma has been in my tank for a little while now and things seems to be going fine. The gramma is slightly bigger than the indigo and it's funny to watch them interact because the gramma will stay to himself and interact with any fish that comes to it, peacefully of course, and that dottyback keeps investigating and the gramma just opens it's mouth to look larger and the dottyback swims away scared. Other than the defensive posture displayed by the grammma, there's been no aggression and it seems like they will simply avoid each other until they're fed.

Otter_rs · Mar 4, 2012

That's great to hear. I would Still try and make sure nobody can jump out. They may periodically startle oneanother. Don't want any accidental suicides.