New fish added but being bullied :(

[Schulks]

I have a 50 gallon with 2 clowns, 1 neon goby, 1 yellow watchman goby, and a royal gramma.

I added a rainfords goby and a tailspot blenny yesterday. I ordered them from Dr.reef and they are really tiny specimens. All of my original fish are fully grown.

My yellow watchman goby is claiming 1/3 of the tank and the royal gramma is following the tailspot and rainfords around and actually striking them. The rainfords has wedged himself under a monti frag and the tailspot just found an ok spot in a frag plug hole on a magnetic rack.

I have consistently noticed aggression from my royal gramma. I mean he follows the clowns around sometimes but they are big enough to deter him. the clowns still cede most of the caves to the gramma.

I was going to add a carpenters wrasse, 3 yellow striped cardinalfish, the tailspot and the rainfords all at once but dr.reef held back the others because they failed the final health inspection. I also noticed the tailspot has an extremely pinched stomach already so I think he should have failed.

Is this gramma just an ******? Should I start plotting against her?

 

[Schulks]

She is such a pretty fish but I want peace!



Should I toss her in the sump for a month and then try moving her back up?

 

[Schulks]

Yeah she is in the sump now. Welcome home..

 

[landlubber]

There are a few things you can do
1. rearranging the aquascape helps reset the pecking order so they don't focus so much on one fish.
2. acclimation box. Sometimes just being able to keep tabs on the new fish helps the current occupants get used to the new guy and lessens the attacks once it does get introduced. If you don't have one you can easily build one from eggcrate (light diffuser) and tie-wraps.
3. mirrors. placing a mirror on one or more of the sides distracts a bit as it gives the appearance of many new fish.
Use as many of these as you can for best results.

 

[Schulks]

There are a few things you can do
1. rearranging the aquascape helps reset the pecking order so they don't focus so much on one fish.
2. acclimation box. Sometimes just being able to keep tabs on the new fish helps the current occupants get used to the new guy and lessens the attacks once it does get introduced. If you don't have one you can easily build one from eggcrate (light diffuser) and tie-wraps.
3. mirrors. placing a mirror on one or more of the sides distracts a bit as it gives the appearance of many new fish.
Use as many of these as you can for best results.

I actually did a rescape just before adding them. She is a sump creature now. Maybe I will use an acclimation box to return her to the display but I feel really limited on space for that.

She is the biggest royal gramma I have seen but I only see them at LFS's.
She is beautiful, a solid 3"+ and a faaatty.

I've had her a really long time but she is in my sump now.
I actually made the 50 gallon because I thought she needed more space.
I am not sure what I want to do with her next. :/

 

[Tamberav]

Royal grammas actually grow really large. I started with a tiny one and it’s bigger than my 10 year old percula clowns.

An acclimation box generally helps or even just a tank driver.

Trying to keep the peace is a common challenge in this hobby and if it’s not one fish.. it’s the next. Generally just need to find a mix that works for the individuals you have.

 

[Schulks]

Royal grammas actually grow really large. I started with a tiny one and it’s bigger than my 10 year old percula clowns.

An acclimation box generally helps or even just a tank driver.

Trying to keep the peace is a common challenge in this hobby and if it’s not one fish.. it’s the next. Generally just need to find a mix that works for the individuals you have.

I see so many fish in other tanks and I am capped at 5 in a 50 gallon. The royal gramma was the only fish that gets around the tank so most of the time you can only see 1 or 2 fish. It is so barren in there..

My original plan was to add 3 yellow striped cardinals, 1 carpenter wrasse, and the tailspot/rainfords goby all at once to spread the aggression out. Sadly, dr.reef had to hold back the cardinals and carpenter. Hopefully I will have them soon.

I also added some new rock to disrupt territory and add more hiding spots.
I have a lot of rock now.

Do you think if I move gramma back to the display in a couple weeks she will chill out? Or should I plan to use an acclimation box?

 

[Tamberav]

I see so many fish in other tanks and I am capped at 5 in a 50 gallon. The royal gramma was the only fish that gets around the tank so most of the time you can only see 1 or 2 fish. It is so barren in there..

My original plan was to add 3 yellow striped cardinals, 1 carpenter wrasse, and the tailspot/rainfords goby all at once to spread the aggression out. Sadly, dr.reef had to hold back the cardinals and carpenter. Hopefully I will have them soon.

I also added some new rock to disrupt territory and add more hiding spots.
I have a lot of rock now.

Do you think if I move gramma back to the display in a couple weeks she will chill out? Or should I plan to use an acclimation box?

Cant hurt to try the box though grammas are pretty dramatic and it may sit at the top sideways.

The large wrasse is about 6 inches, a new addition and the gramma still showing its mouth. In this case, it has no chance of actually doing anything.

Mine does chill out after a few days of big mouthing and life returns to normal.

 

[Schulks]

This gramma is still in my sump. I feed her everyday down there but I need to make a decision.

I'm done adding fish for awhile. (IM EXT 50) The new fish are carpenter's wrasse (Just over an inch big), 3 yellow striped cardinals, rainsfords goby, and tailspot blenny (All very tiny, slightly bigger than the carpenters).
All my new fish eating and everything is going fantastic.

My clownfish, Yellow watchman, and neon goby (old fish, all giants!) are leaving all the new tiny guys alone. YWG was a little apprehensive at first but he has chilled out completely.

Dr.Reef sends extra fish for bad shippers and I had no losses so I feel stocked at this point. Gramma always argues with the clowns/neon goby but never came to blows. She was beating the tailspot blenny when I removed her though.. I am afraid she will go right after the carpenter and he is so tiny..


The argument for keeping her is, I've had her a really long time, know she is healthy, and would hate to see her go. Maybe the timeout in the sump was all I needed?