Royal Gramma disposition

[jabberwock]

Poll will close in 14 days. You may select up to three responses.

 

[Patx]

10 years old/always be like this.
Only gaping... no contact.
Fun to watch against a tail spot blenny that "almost" ignore him.

 

[Cincyreefer513]

I'll play. This is lengthy, but a detailed account of my experience over nearly 26 months.
Mine was the first addition to a Fluval Flex. It spent the first couple months hiding in the rocks, never visible. If I recall, it didn't come out to eat until nearly 3 weeks in the tank and it was around 2 months before it would come out for a couple minutes and then hide away. A clown pair was added and the RG finally started to come out after being in the tank for 3+ months. The RG never had issues with the clowns, but then I added a McCosker wrasse...
This wrasse didn't last terribly long. It got beat up and chased a lot by the RG. I bought a another McCosker wrasse and the aggression was so bad, I tore the tank apart to catch him and put him in a box at the top of the tank. I tried to re-home locally, but no one got him so after 6 weeks, I decided to release him back in and see. This appeared to cure the crazy aggression, but my wrasse never could keep his dorsal fin or part of his tail as he was still nipped.
After a move, the McCosker died so I replaced with a line spot wrasse. Same thing, lots of chasing/nipping. The line spot tried flashing at first, but after he lost his dorsal, he sorta gave up and resorted to hanging out in the upper corner. He was found dead 6 weeks later.
Last month I bought a purple firefish and it was constant chasing/nipping from the minute it was dropped in. The firefish completely lost it's tail and dorsal by the next day and was covered in bite marks along it's body. I didn't think he'd make it, but I caught the RG and placed in the penalty box. He was only in there a week before somehow jumping out and going through a 1/4" gap between the top of the box and the net lid. I wasn't about to destroy the rocks again so I watched. The firefish was only allowed pinned up in the top corner with it's face at the water line. Even still, the RG would still go after it and the firefish would jump, hit the net and flee, followed by jamming into the corner again. This went on for weeks. I'd sometimes be able to chase the RG with a net for some relief. Over the past week plus, he's allowed the firefish to eat, sometimes, but it's back to the corner...
The only gaping I've seen was with a Citron clown goby. Ol Tubby as he was called, didn't care. He just sat there. Even after a couple strong pecks to the side. The RG never bit him after, but certainly gaped at him a lot.
Lastly snails are a no go in my tank. They always get killed by the RG. I've watched him take out many, probably close to a couple dozen. Aside from the nassarius snails that stay buried during the day, I literally can't keep snails (turbo, margarita, cerith, nassarius etc). If any nassarius come out in the light, bam!

 

[CrimsonTide]

Mine killed a peppermint shrimp and an emerald crab. I bought 2 new peppermint shrimp three days ago and so far they have made it. They are on the opposite of the tank from the RG cave and have only came out at night. No idea what will happen if they become bold and come out in the day time. It could be another blood bath. I'm hoping the peppermints will eat some of my tiny aptasia so I don't have to kill them with aptasia-x. If they last long enough to eat them ill be surprised. The RG has never killed a fish but my clowns can hold their own. I'm sure it has taken out a snail or two though.

 

[kevgib67]

I’ve had mine over two years and it’s a model citizen. If another fish gives it grief it does the open mouth posturing thing and that’s the end of it.