Odd behavior of a royal gramma?

[noahreefer]

Hey everyone,

I went to a fish store earlier today to see what they had and I saw a royal gramma swimming upside down like an assessor. My first thought was a swim bladder disease but he was swimming with no difficulty looking for food. I asked to see if he would eat and when the women put some mysis in he DEVOURED It. I decided to buy him out of curiosity and thought at the very least he would just decide to flip right-side up and be a normal royal gramma. (Even if I was hoping he would remain flipped over). Anyways I had the lady bag him up and I drove home. On the way home he ended up flipping right side up and was swimming normally. Currently he is hiding in the rocks and swimming normally right-side up. Just wanted to hear anyone’s two-sense and to see what they think. (Fingers crossed he will demonstrate this odd behavior again so I can get a video of it when I get home tonight)

 

[Huskymaniac]

It's normal. Mine always used to swim upside down.

 

[noahreefer]

It's normal. Mine always used to swim upside down.

Okay that was the first time I’ve ever seen one do that does he switch between flipped over and right side up often?

 

[nereefpat]

They will swim with their belly to the substrate, not necessarily right side up or down

 

[noahreefer]

Yeah I’m used to them swimming belly down to the substrate this one swam with his belly to the surface

 

[Huskymaniac]

Okay that was the first time I’ve ever seen one do that does he switch between flipped over and right side up often?

Depends on the aquarium setup. Could alternate or just stay upside down. Likely will do a combination of both.

 

[noahreefer]

Ok thanks for the help!

 

[theKoolAidMan]

I lump Royal Gramma's in with Blennies and Clowns in that if you have to ask if their behavior is "normal", it almost always is, because they're weird.

 

[I_Got_Crabs]

Yeah I’m used to them swimming belly down to the substrate this one swam with his belly to the surface

That's weird. Mine swims upside down under my shelf rock a lot, and if I remove a rock he's under he'll get confused and swim around for a few seconds upside down, but he never just cruises in the open water upside down.