Royal gramma

[jschulst]

I am considering adding 2-3 royal grammas (2-3" or more) to my 72 gal FOWLR tank (niger trigger, bicolor angel, maculosis angel, hippo, foxface)..is that ok or should i add only one royal, and another gramma of a different color?

 

[returnofsid]

You should get rid of a few of the fish you already have. A Trigger, 2 Angels, a Foxface and a Tang, in a 72 gallon tank? Way too large of a bio-load, for such a tank.

 

[jschulst]

Fishes will be moved to a 110 shortly, I plan to have like 10 fishes in it.

I don't understand why 5 fishes should be too much of a bioload in a 72? The largest is the maculosis angel at 5".

 

[returnofsid]

It's not just about the number of fish. It's also about how much each of those fish eat/poop and how much swimming room they need. Your Hippo Tang should be in at least a 200 gallon tank. Your Niger Trigger can get 12" long and eats/poops like crazy, should also be in a much larger tank.

If you had 5 small fish, that didn't require a lot of swimming room, you'd be fine. Your Trigger and Tang both require tons of swimming room, that your tank can't offer them. I wouldn't even recommend your current fish list, in your upcoming 110.

 

[jschulst]

the fishes avg 3-4"...I am planning a bigger tank than the 110 down the road....currently my largest is 225 stocked with frontosa and haps.

 

[returnofsid]

Yeah, Frontosas would make a quick meal out of Royal Grammas, even as mean as Royal Grammas are...lol

 

[estanoche]

Aren't the 110s the tall show tanks?? Still not much swimming room in those compared to what you have - in the end, the difference between the 72 and the 110 is minimal when you consider the future size of your current fish (not their current size). In the end, I would also not recommend adding any more fish, even after you move to the 110 ask those tanks are pretty cramped as well given the future size of your current fish.

But back to your original question - I have no idea if royal grammas are solitary fish, or something that lives in social groups... I've only seen singles in people's tanks. Maybe because of their cost????

 

[returnofsid]

They're inexpensive, but they're evil...lol

 

[jschulst]

the 110 has a larger footprint, 60x18...I would not go for a taller tank.

In a yr or so, they'll move up to a 225. I was over at barrier reef yesteday and asked em the same, the larger fishes are ok in the 110. Eventually they'll be split into two tanks. I have noticed the hippo tang is the one that likes to swim from end to end more often.

 

[Bosco83]

From Liveaquaria

"Since it demonstrates territorial aggression towards its own kind, the Royal Gramma Basslet should be housed singly. However, most Royal Gramma Basslets are peaceful towards tankmates of similar size and temperament."