Pseudochromis fridmani or Royal Gramma

[Brazilian Reefer]

Hello. I would like to know, in your experience, which fish is more peaceful: Pseudochromis fridmani (Orchid Dottyback, also known as the Fridman's Dottyback) or Gramma loreto (Royal Gramma)?
Will there be trouble with Blue Sapphire Damselfish (Chrysiptera cf. springeri) or Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica)?
33g tank with a lot of rocks/caves, and planning to add a lil bit more rocks.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

RG has never moved a needle for me but I have kept a pair of tank raised Fridmani. They were QT’d together and placed in DT at the same time. No issues bonding and living together. Lost both of them unfortunately.

 

[Brazilian Reefer]

RG has never moved a needle for me but I have kept a pair of tank raised Fridmani. They were QT’d together and placed in DT at the same time. No issues bonding and living together. Lost both of them unfortunately.

Thanks for sharing

 

[Naekuh]

i had 2 orchids, at different times, and both were gangsters going up to the new fish and asking "whats up brah" and not letting them get near there cave.

Orchids are a complete hit or miss on agression. For me they all been misses, unless they are the new kids on the block.

They always went after the new fishes... and leave the old ones alone.

 

[Brazilian Reefer]

i had 2 orchids, at different times, and both were gangsters going up to the new fish and asking "whats up brah" and not letting them get near there cave.

Orchids are a complete hit or miss on agression. For me they all been misses, unless they are the new kids on the block.

They always went after the new fishes... and leave the old ones alone.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m planning to add a Fridman's Dottyback (or Royal Gramma), a Longnose Hawkfish and a Wrasse (still thinking which one).

 

[Doctorgori]

Consider Black Caps perhaps ?

 

[DCR]

The gramma will be more peaceful than the orchid and should be fine with the firefish. Sometimes I can mix the two together, but the orchid is a risk - especially with newcomers in that size tank. I would forget about any damsel as well.

 

[Brazilian Reefer]

Consider Black Caps perhaps ?

Hard to find over here.

 

[Doctorgori]

Hard to find over here.

Interesting, odd but totally plausible….
even though Black cap basslets are Carribean just like Royal grammas

 

[Brazilian Reefer]

Interesting, odd but totally plausible….
even though Black cap basslets are Carribean just like Royal grammas

I guess people here prefer Gramma loreto, and then LFS just don't order with importers... or maybe only having a specific order from a client. Probably must be more expensive here in Brazil, also.

 

[nereefpat]

Black caps are less abundant and are deeper in the water.

 

[Brazilian Reefer]

The gramma will be more peaceful than the orchid and should be fine with the firefish. Sometimes I can mix the two together, but the orchid is a risk - especially with newcomers in that size tank. I would forget about any damsel as well.

Already have the springeri damsel in the tank

 

[Dburr1014]

RG for me also. I've had 3 total in my experiences and one dottyback. Dottyback didn't like anyone.

 

[KC2020]

Interesting, odd but totally plausible….
even though Black cap basslets are Carribean just like Royal grammas

I've found that an increasing number of Dottybacks sold online are now captive bred from ORA. They tend to be less agressive, in my experience. That's anecdotal of course but perhaps being raised in a less competitive environment than the ocean breeds a different disposition.

 

[Naekuh]

They tend to be less agressive, in my experience.

the two i had were from ORA.

And yes they are less aggressive at the fish you have in the tank already when you introduce them.
But they go gangster on any new thing that goes in, and declares a holy turf war against it.

But I had them in pretty small tanks like a 24G cube, so i can't speak much in a much larger tank, where chances are a fish will probably never see it after getting kicked out and finding another area which the Orchid does not venture off to.

 

[KC2020]

But they go gangster on any new thing that goes in, and declares a holy turf war against it.

I guess we can conclude the a certain level of instinctive, territorial behavior can't (won't) be bread out of them. That's a good thing.

The first Royal Grammas I had decades ago were much harder to acclimate too. They didn't want to eat anything that wasn't alive.