Royal Gramma spitting sand!!

[Jim8o]

So....

Today I woke up to sand all over my corals and rock.. like my tank had a mini storm overnight!!

Then I saw it... a little fountain of sand coming from under some rock.

On closer inspection it was my Royal grammar.. making some kind den under the rocks.

Has anyone else seen or had this problem? Am I going to just have to live with sand everywhere from now on? Is this a one off day?

I’ve had him for over a year, but never seen him do this before. It’s funny and the kids love to see his Sand fireworks but come on!!

 

[ndrwater]

Fish are weird...

I would not call that common behavior at all

 

[Sailingeric]

I saw mind slamming it self into the sand a few ago and I was worried but noticed it only seemed to do it when one of my new damsels was in the area, so I think it was just reminding it whose territory it is as it has not done in a while and the damsel seems to have found a place on the other side of the tank.

 

[cloak]

My Royal Gramma does the same thing. Sometimes more than others.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Not unusual. I would say feed it more but they don't eat a lot to begin with. Its out of boredom

 

[Jim8o]

He’s literally grabbing mouthfuls of sand and spitting it/dumping it everywhere... maybe he’s one of those unicorn royal gramma cross sand sifting gobies

 

[Jim8o]

My Royal Gramma does the same thing. Sometimes more than others.

Must be from the same clutch of eggs.. crazy fish!

 

[madweazl]

Ours lives under a rock and cleans out the den every day. Most of the ones I've had in the past slept inside cubbies within the rock work but not this guy.

 

[mattzang]

i have two fish that enjoy grabbing a mouthful of sand and just casually dispersing it in the tank: midas blenny and orchid dottyback

the dottyback is actually making a den, so i get that one

but the midas blenny i have no idea, he digs up the front corner of my tank with no rock nearby so idk what his plan is

 

[Jim8o]

Ours lives under a rock and cleans out the den every day. Most of the ones I've had in the past slept inside cubbies within the rock work but not this guy.

Mine lived in the rock work until today.. maybe he just wanted to move.. I wonder if it’s because he out grew his old home hmmm.

 

[mattzang]

 

[Jim8o]

So random... I need to get a video of mine.

 

[AnneO]

My Royal Gramma 'Lady' did it all the time until she kicked the Coral Beauty 'Sonic' out of his cave. Now she lives there and the excavation has stopped. So if you want yours to stop maybe offer some better real estate

 

[saltyhog]

He's cleaning out his hidey hole. My Black Cap Basslet (closely related) does it all the time. Thinks he's a sand sifting goby or something.

 

[jd371]

Mine is doing the same in my 20g anemone tank. looks like he's clearing out his cave. I need to blow some sand off one of the RFA's from time to time.

 

[badger89]

my Royal did the same I so funny

 

[Jon's Reef]

Same here with my black cap.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Mines doing this too. I’m unsure why. I don’t know if I’m not feeding enough or it’s just bored but he does it probably once every 10 minutes or so when I’m watching

 

[DougiesREEF]

Mine dug out itself a little cave for the first week it was in the tank, now he just chills in there all day.

 

[rvs2112]

So....

Today I woke up to sand all over my corals and rock.. like my tank had a mini storm overnight!!

Then I saw it... a little fountain of sand coming from under some rock.

On closer inspection it was my Royal grammar.. making some kind den under the rocks.

Has anyone else seen or had this problem? Am I going to just have to live with sand everywhere from now on? Is this a one off day?

I’ve had him for over a year, but never seen him do this before. It’s funny and the kids love to see his Sand fireworks but come on!!

Mine is doing the same since the Goby was taken out.