Chalk Bass and Royal Gramma

[mcmyeye]

Hey guys and gals

ive had a chalk bass for a while and just bought a RG. the chalk bass has been hiding. have not seen either one eat. i get conflicting info for LFS's in my area.

anyone know if they will get along or do i need to return one of them to the store and pick something different.

thanks
michael

 

[dzfish17]

How big is the tank?

 

[mcmyeye]

29 biocube with 21 pounds rock and 1 inch live sand. do 5 galllon water changes every other week. SG is 1.022. ph 8.2. no amonia, nitrites, or nitrates. alk 2.5 meq/l. 6 naserius snails, 3 astrias, and 3 bumble bee snails.

 

[mcmyeye]

no corals or anyother things in the tank

 

[MIKE NY]

they'll be fine for the short term if they don't fight for a rock hole, but the chalkie will out grow the 29 and probably eat the RG....I had a breeding pair of chalkies they can get large and will eat anything they can fit in their mouths.....cute when small, but even more beautiful when large....especially the male with a nice orange hue over the blue in breeding dress...I fed them silversides and prawn.

 

[mcmyeye]

Thanks Mike. I bought some cubes of brine and mysis last night. RG showed some interest, but the mysis are more than half his size. the Chalk Bass did not. dropped some pellets in the back near where he is hiding. still could not get him to come out. 3 days and i have not seen CB eat. getting kind of worried. CB will still come out ofr a few seconds to bov up and down in the water but then immediately retreats to under the rock.

 

[philter4]

They will be fine, they live together in the wild- sort of. Royal gramma usually live in holes in the reef walls and chalk bass live over the sand. In your tank they will get along, although Mike is correct a really large chalk bass could eat a RG. Normally chalk bass are planktivores so I think you will be fine and if the time comes when he gets to a 6 inch monster you will have to move him anyway.

 

[mcmyeye]

last night when i got home, the Chalk Bass, creeper, had moved to a new hiding place. when i fed the frozen food, watched both fish eat some. creeper is still hiding in the rocks but i feel much better since he moved and ate. will try the pellets again tonight.

 

[snookman88]

I have both, in a 120, and they get along well. They both fill different "niches". Chalk enjoys open water above the rocks and the gramma prefers his hole..