Fish Tank Bullies

Mr.Rocc · Mar 5, 2017

So I need some opinions. I have a 40 gallon nuvo and my tank currently its stocked with 6 fish. 2 Clowns, 1 Royal Gramma, 1 lawn moyer blennie, 1 small bristle tooth tang, and last but not least 1 male solar wrasse. All but the wrasse has been in the tank for atleast 2 months. The clowns and the gramma have been in the tank for almost 9 months. So I went to my LFS with no thought of buying a new fish. I explained my tank and the mates inside it. They told me a solar wrasse would be fine. So I acclimated it to temp and water parameters for about an hour each. Then put it in while all the lights were out. He wasnt having it, the royal gamma picked on him. I put him in an acclimation box for a whole week. I put him in again tonight after the lights were off, the royal gramma picked on him again.

My thought process is to try to grab the gramma and put him in the acclimation box. Any ideas?

ngoodermuth · Mar 5, 2017

I had a Royal gramma before...in smaller tanks they can be kind of a butthead to new, similar sized fish. You could try the acclimation box, or even removing him to a temporary QT and reintroducing him once the wrasse settles in.

Kershaw · Mar 5, 2017

You can try and rearrange the rock work. But that is a small tank. I am surprised it's not the tang being aggressive, because that's small for any tang

Humblefish · Mar 5, 2017

Tail2112 said:
My thought process is to try to grab the gramma and put him in the acclimation box. Any ideas?

I would just get a new gramma. Work out a trade with your LFS. It is unusual for one to be that aggressive.

Mr.Rocc · Mar 5, 2017

See that exactly what I said about the tang, but to be honest the tang isn't aggressive towards any of them. Im going to try the acclimation box with the gramma tomorrow. However my LFS doesn't do "trades". They will take your fish but you get nothing in return... Not even store credit even after I have spent more then any human being needs to in one place.

melypr1985 · Mar 5, 2017

I would also try to get a new gramma. I've always advised adding them last to a small tank, just in case of situations like this. Most LFS will give a little store credit for a fish like that, maybe try another store?