Why wont he come out??

[fattyratrat]

I've got a 60 gallon tank, everything water wise is perfect, i have 300 watts of MH's and 440 watts of vho actinics (its a 1 foot tall tank... yea!!) It has been running for about 5 months, and i have had a Royal Gramma for about two months, and he never comes out. If i see him he will dart back in his cave as quickly as he can. He eats fine, and is healthy as can be , but why does he hide so much?? My only guess is that he is freaked out by the amount of flow in the tank (56 times the tank volume per hour), but i have a lubbock's fairy wrase and a scooter blenny that are not timid at all!... Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[Flightpipe]

one foot tall? what are the dimensions?

 

[seanb1]

Scientific Name: Gramma loreto
Family: Grammidae
Common Names: Royal Gramma, Fairy Basslet

Description:
Royal Grammas are a very colorful and distinctive fish in which the front half of its body is a deep purple and the back half a bright yellow. The purple coloration may appear blue under some lighting conditions as shown to the right. A black line streaks through the eye. The Bi-color Pseudochromis has a similar color pattern, but it is a lighter, more pastel color and does not have the black streak through the eye or the black spot on the dorsal fin. The male tends to be larger than the female.

Natural Environment:
Comes from the Caribbean region of the Atlantic Ocean.

Care:
Reef Suitability: Excellent reef inhabitant. Very good beginner fish.

Disposition: Royal Grammas tend to stake out a cave in the rockwork which they use as home base. They come out into the open to feed, but tend to dart back into the rockwork when startled. Royal grammas tend to not bother or be bothered by other fish, but will vigorously guard their favorite hiding places. They will open their mouths very wide in a threatening gesture to ward off intruders. May be kept in groups given enough room so that they are not crowed. Royal Grammas will breed in the reef tank

Feeding: Eats most standard meaty and flake foods.

Hardiness: Very hardy. Very disease resistant.

Temperature: Does well within normal reef tank temperature ranges of 75-84°F.

Size: Royal Grammas reach about 3" maximum and tend to stay in one area of the tank which makes them good candidates for small reefs tanks.

 

[joeychitwood]

Your Royal Gramma is behaving quite normally, as seanndenise1 points out. It may become more bold as time passes. My RG spends about 5% of the day out of its cave after three years in the tank.

 

[Aquarist007]

I agree mine only comes out a feeding times

 

[doc2981]

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Mine stays in his cave too and perches upside down most of the time.If I get to see him a few times a week I'm satisfied.Not the best fish if you want to see him or her swimming all the time.I would suggest a colorfull tang/anthias or maybe a dwarf Angel with caution.A strawberry psuedo would be a good replacement too,but they dont play well together.

 

[tmz]

I have two. One is very reclusive. The other comes out frequently.

In my experience the Gramma brasiliensis is much less reclusive and tends to defend itself better than the Gramma loreto. The brasiliensis, is not seen in the trade as often as the loreto, but if you can get one you'll like it.