Royal Grammas keeps on dying

[Tnops]

I’m wondering whether royal grammas really are a hardy beginner fish. I have had 3 royal grammas from 2 separate shops in a QT throughout several months and they all died within a week while most of the other fish in the system made it through. The grammas I got all ate at the shop and the first few days in the QT but all stopped eating and died.

my most recent addition was added with a small copperband butterfly and a tiny blue tang. The 2 other fish are eating and doing fine but the gramma did not

 

[Bucs20fan]

That is very odd, in the beginning Grammas are very shy usually and this could result in a stoppage of feeding. I assume it is not a water quality issue in QT bc the copperband is in with it and that is much more likely to die from water quality. Are you treating with anything in the QT? Copperbands do not tolerate medications well.

 

[kboogie]

Royal Grammas are very skittish and need lots of hiding places to feel comfortable. I wonder if there is something along those lines going on. I find Royal Grammas to be rock solid or fish that die when you look at them. They exist at those extremes.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Was it ever eating for you? They can be hard to get onto prepared foods.
Any aggression?

 

[LeftyReefer]

Mine has been pretty hardy. It has survived ICH and went through a 90+ day QT once and then another time it got flukes, and had to go through another 30+ day QT. It was returned back to the DT both times and has been fine since. I'd say they are relatively hardy once established, but can be tricky to get established. A good cave that they feel safe in is important for getting them established.

 

[Tnops]

That is very odd, in the beginning Grammas are very shy usually and this could result in a stoppage of feeding. I assume it is not a water quality issue in QT bc the copperband is in with it and that is much more likely to die from water quality. Are you treating with anything in the QT? Copperbands do not tolerate medications well.

No medication present in the tank before the gramma dies, I try to get everything eating and active before treating

 

[Tnops]

Royal Grammas are very skittish and need lots of hiding places to feel comfortable. I wonder if there is something along those lines going on. I find Royal Grammas to be rock solid or fish that die when you look at them. They exist at those extremes.

Lots of PVC pipes in the tank :/

 

[Bucs20fan]

Do you have structure in the QT, as stated above they almost always require structure to hide in.


EDIT: Answered above

 

[Tnops]

Was it ever eating for you? They can be hard to get onto prepared foods.
Any aggression?

It was peeking out of its hole and eating floating mysis and then it suddenly stops

 

[Sharkbait19]

It was peeking out of its hole and eating floating mysis and then it suddenly stops

How long before dying did it stop eating? Did it ever act off in any other way?

 

[Bucs20fan]

Im not trying to say you dont know how to do it by any means, but do you know what salinity the LFS you buy them from is? Ive found that most are literally sitting around 1.020 or less to combat infections and have lost more than one fish because I didnt acclimate long enough.

 

[Tnops]

How long before dying did it stop eating? Did it ever act off in any other way?

For around 2-3 days, when it stopped eating, it would hide very deep in the pipes with its sides like purposely laying for security

 

[Sharkbait19]

Any white stringy poo (though mysis can cause this it can also be an indicator of internal parasites)?
Did the fish get extremely thin?

 

[Keko21]

Wow! I am in the exact same situation. Royal Gramma #1 came in was QT'd with copper and prazi, eating fine, moved to the DT, was eating fine and swimming around- 5 days later hiding- 1 day later dead.

Got a second one from Top Shelf Aquatics, looked great, eating, QT'd at home copper, prazi, went to the DT a few weeks later, super social even more than the last one and would chill in the water column with my fire fish gobbling anything that floated by. Then about a week later he disappeared (right around the same time my Leopard wrasse started coming out of hiding, but he is super small and has been very peaceful with everyone). 3 days no sign of the gramma. This morning dead...

All of my other fish are doing great! (3 fire fish, goby, leopard wrasse) These grammas just cant seem to hang around- which sucks because it's my youngest daughter's favorite fish.

 

[albano]

I’ve never had any problems with Royal Grammas direct from Reeftopia in Fla. … fresh from the ocean! Great people and prices.

 

[Dburr1014]

Strange.
I've had one for 8 years and just introduced another. They are best buds swimming together all the time, even though they should be fighting like all the websites say.

Maybe the goby was fighting with him? You may not see fighting but could happen.

Wow! I am in the exact same situation. Royal Gramma #1 came in was QT'd with copper and prazi, eating fine, moved to the DT, was eating fine and swimming around- 5 days later hiding- 1 day later dead.

Got a second one from Top Shelf Aquatics, looked great, eating, QT'd at home copper, prazi, went to the DT a few weeks later, super social even more than the last one and would chill in the water column with my fire fish gobbling anything that floated by. Then about a week later he disappeared (right around the same time my Leopard wrasse started coming out of hiding, but he is super small and has been very peaceful with everyone). 3 days no sign of the gramma. This morning dead...

All of my other fish are doing great! (3 fire fish, goby, leopard wrasse) These grammas just cant seem to hang around- which sucks because it's my youngest daughter's favorite fish.