Is this normal for a Royal Gramma?

[Philipgonzales3]

I think the spots may be bits of sand and not ich hopefully. I currently do not run a WT before adding the fish.

I just added it today so maybe it's just stressed?

It ate like two bites of food when I fed the tank (LRS Reef Frenzy Nano).

It did swim around a bit before laying in the sand bed. It swims near the Kupang Damsel. They may be sizing each other up. I saw the Damsel shake it's tail at the Royal Gramma but that's all I really saw as far as aggression.



FYI I test parameters every Thursday and they seem pretty darn consistent.

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

Royals do have some strange behavior but TBH the spots I see in his tail and anal fin in the 3rd pic concern me. How is his breathing? Look closely at him any loss of color, etc?

 

[WMR]

I agree with Frtdrmrose7, I see the spots in the anal & tail fin, also 1st pic, his right pectoral fin is damaged, probably from the damsel. What other fish do you have in there?

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Royals do have some strange behavior but TBH the spots I see in his tail and anal fin in the 3rd pic concern me. How is his breathing? Look closely at him any loss of color, etc?

Here is the fish breathing. So hard to tell but tried to get the best vid I could. Looks "normal" to me but not exactly sure what to look for Honestly.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I agree with Frtdrmrose7, I see the spots in the anal & tail fin, also 1st pic, his right pectoral fin is damaged, probably from the damsel. What other fish do you have in there?

Here is my stock list.

Aquarium is a 50 gallon 24"x24"x20". A little on the small side for these fish I suppose.

Everything is a quantity of 1 except for the clowns. There are two of those.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I agree with Frtdrmrose7, I see the spots in the anal & tail fin, also 1st pic, his right pectoral fin is damaged, probably from the damsel. What other fish do you have in there?

Good eye on the pectoral fin by the way. You were correct. Had to shine a light at it and look very closely to see that (on the fish not the picture lol).

I tried to net the fish and it gave me the slip. Guess it's good that it can swim pretty well still. Was a little slow but definetly outsmarted me lol.

 

[WMR]

The damsel probably had him being submissive, most fish will either go to the top or bottom corner of a tank, that’s my guess. He was bullied, how are clowns with him, what about the wrasse? Keep an eye out for disease with those spots, you may have treat them all.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

The damsel probably had him being submissive, most fish will either go to the top or bottom corner of a tank, that’s my guess. He was bullied, how are clowns with him, what about the wrasse? Keep an eye out for disease with those spots, you may have treat them all.

Hard to say since the Royal Gramma has been in there such a short time. As far as I know the damsel was the only one showing any type of aggression. I know my wrasse can be a jerk though too.

I'll keep an eye out. I will post pics when/if the Royal Gramma comes out. Will try to get clear ones. Oh boy, hopefully I don't have to QT everyone and go fallow but let's see what happens over the next few days.

 

[Why-Me]

white spots
I'd pull him asap
QT him before any or more damage is done

 

[Philipgonzales3]

white spots
I'd pull him asap
QT him before any or more damage is done

IDK man. I have 0 experience with ich. Maybe I am just being niave here but to me it seems too early to call.

Trying to get better pictures but best I could get. One plan I was thinking of was to drill holes in my hand on specimen container, catch the fish and put it in the specimen container to examine and make sure it eats and what not. Also to see if it has ich or not.

I have to see if I can find the specimen container though. I think it may be in my storage shed.

 

[Why-Me]

I understand what you're saying but waiting days to end up finding out it is ich, would mean fallow. If you pull now and QT it for those couple days, all is well. If he's fine can go back if not can be treated and most importantly not infest your tank and tankmates.
Just my opinion tho I'm sure you'll get more to chime in here.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I understand what you're saying but waiting days to end up finding out it is ich, would mean fallow. If you pull now and QT it for those couple days, all is well. If he's fine can go back if not can be treated and most importantly not infest your tank and tankmates.
Just my opinion tho I'm sure you'll get more to chime in here.

Yeah I've thought about pulling it out too. Just don't know if it would matter at this point since it's already in the tank. I know it makes me seem like a jerk but going to give it a little more time and see what happens.

Hopefully the selcon and feeding is helping keep up the other fishes immune system. The rough plan in my head right now is to QT the Royal Gramma if I believe it to have ich that it can't "shake off".

Then if other fish get it may need to QT them all. Going to stick to my no QT guns for the time being though. Hoping for a lot of luck on this one!

I'm kind of have an all or nothing mentality. So it's kind of no QT or all QT and we'll see what happens shortly.

Sorry for rambling I just like to type out loud sometimes to think things out.

 

[mattzang]

dang hope he pulls through dude. and hopefully it's not ich or something

 

[Philipgonzales3]

dang hope he pulls through dude. and hopefully it's not ich or something

Thanks! Fingers crossed! Hopefully it's not ich, and if it is it's such a small case of it, it just shakes it off. I'm sure that's not how any of this works but here's to hoping. And if it is more serious at least I am in the right place. I already have copper power and a Hanna copper checker. I'll try to round up all my meds tomorrow to see if I need to order anything else.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Oh I almost forgot. I guess when it rains it pours. So I saw stringy poop on my clown. Is it OK to post about this in the same thread? Not sure if it may or may not be related to the introduction of the two new fish. I've never seen my clown have stringy poop or any fish in my DT to date.

 

[bluprntguy]

If the royal gramma has ich, you’d need to assume the whole tank probably does (or will) have it. I’m not sure pulling out the fish now is going to do much good to protect the other fish.

At this point, I’d probably wait it out and hope for the best. However, if the gramma shows more signs of ich, you’ll need to have a plan for removing and treating all your fish. You might as well pull them out all at one time, treat them all at one time, and let your tank go fallow sooner rather than later.

Doing tank transfer QT for 2 weeks with a couple of 5 gallon buckets, 2 heaters, and a cheap filter is so much easier than tearing your reef apart to get all your fish out when one gets ich...

 

[Justfebreezeit]

To me the behavior seems like he was bullied and is freaked out.

As far as the stringy poop goes i'd get seachem Metroplex and Focus to mix in with your food and feed that for a week. That should take care of the internals.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

If the royal gramma has ich, you’d need to assume the whole tank probably does (or will) have it. I’m not sure pulling out the fish now is going to do much good to protect the other fish.

At this point, I’d probably wait it out and hope for the best. However, if the gramma shows more signs of ich, you’ll need to have a plan for removing and treating all your fish. You might as well pull them out all at one time, treat them all at one time, and let your tank go fallow sooner rather than later.

Doing tank transfer QT for 2 weeks with a couple of 5 gallon buckets, 2 heaters, and a cheap filter is so much easier than tearing your reef apart to get all your fish out when one gets ich...

Do you think a 15 gallon tank would be big enough to QT all of them in should it come to that? My middle sump compartment is full of biomedia so should be easy to seed the QT tank.

Only thing about the buckets is I would have to put them up high as we have little ones in the house. I'm always paranoid about any buckets having any amount of water in or near the house for any amount of time.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

OK

To me the behavior seems like he was bullied and is freaked out.

As far as the stringy poop goes i'd get seachem Metroplex and Focus to mix in with your food and feed that for a week. That should take care of the internals.

Ok, thanks, ordered.

Reef safe right? Just don't try to get any on the corals more or less?

 

[bluprntguy]

Do you think a 15 gallon tank would be big enough to QT all of them in should it come to that? My middle sump compartment is full of biomedia so should be easy to seed the QT tank.

Only thing about the buckets is I would have to put them up high as we have little ones in the house. I'm always paranoid about any buckets having any amount of water in or near the house for any amount of time.

I think I’d plan on at least a 20 gallon for all your fish. You’ll need to do copper or chloroquine phosphate if you are using bio media from your tank.