Should I get a Royal Gramma or a Orchid Dottyback?

[Hemmdog]

can you even get a wild caught one? i've never seen one for sale

I have a guy. They are out there, beautiful colors. I miss mine it was to aggressive and in to small of a tank back when I just had the biocube. Gave him back to my dottyback guy.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I agree that wild orchid dotttbacks are much nicer than captive bred.

 

[Shane808262]

I would consider the black cap but they are literally impossible to find in my state (Hawaii). Orchids are occasionally available at my local petcos for $30. To find a Royal Gramma I would probably have to go to Coral Fish Hawaii or Tropical Fish Hawaii this is the main supplier for most fish found in Hawaii that are sold in stores around the world. They are extremely cheap and sale every thing from Achilles tangs for $25, Yellow, Chloe and PURPLE Tangs for only $14, Potters Angels for $20, Potters Wrasse for $9, Flame / Coral Beauty and Lemon Peal Angels all for only $25. Crazy right. They usually get a Philippensis shipment ounce a month and get Royal Grammas $20, Mandarin Dragnets $15 and tons more.

 

[Hemmdog]

I would consider the black cap but they are literally impossible to find in my state (Hawaii). Orchids are occasionally available at my local petcos for $30. To find a Royal Gramma I would probably have to go to Coral Fish Hawaii or Tropical Fish Hawaii this is the main supplier for most fish found in Hawaii that are sold in stores around the world. They are extremely cheap and sale every thing from Achilles tangs for $25, Yellow, Chloe and PURPLE Tangs for only $14, Potters Angels for $20, Potters Wrasse for $9, Flame / Coral Beauty and Lemon Peal Angels all for only $25. Crazy right. They usually get a Philippensis shipment ounce a month and get Royal Grammas $20, Mandarin Dragnets $15 and tons more.

This place sounds like heaven! What island is it on?

 

[Shane808262]

Oahu

 

[Shane808262]

I know Right I literally have to restrain myself ever time I go there that is why I said oh no I have to go there to find a Royal Gramma because if I do that’s not all I’m coming home with.

 

[Shane808262]

This place sounds like heaven! What island is it on?

Oahu and I know Right I literally have to restrain myself ever time I go there that is why I said oh no I have to go there to find a Royal Gramma because if I do that’s not all I’m coming home with.

 

[Tamberav]

My ORA orchid killed damsels....so got a Gramma instead which also killed damsels....

Purple is my fav color so I kept the Gramma and bought bigger damsels.

That seemed to work.

Behavior wise they were identical for me. Had a cave but out in the open all the time. Both aggressive.

The only difference is the orchid attacked cleaner shrimp but the Gramma ignores them.

 

[WaheedNaidoo]

I added a false royal gramma dotty back and orchid dottyback to my tank yesterday at the same time, the royal seems to dominate the biggest cave and bullies the orchid terribly, I thought acclimated them together and adding them at the same time won’t give them a opportunity to form territories, seems i was wrong, not quite sure what to do because I really like both of them.

 

[mattzang]

I added a false royal gramma dotty back and orchid dottyback to my tank yesterday at the same time, the royal seems to dominate the biggest cave and bullies the orchid terribly, I thought acclimated them together and adding them at the same time won’t give them a opportunity to form territories, seems i was wrong, not quite sure what to do because I really like both of them.

royal dottybacks are super mean, i'd get rid of it asap

idk how big your tank is, but i wouldn't try multiple dottyback species in anyhting less than a pretty big tank

 

[WaheedNaidoo]

royal dottybacks are super mean, i'd get rid of it asap

idk how big your tank is, but i wouldn't try multiple dottyback species in anyhting less than a pretty big tank

Hey man, thanks for the advise, i took the royal back to the store, the orchid immediately came out and hasnt bothered any of my other fish, was really sad to take him back because i really like them but it had to be done.

 

[mattzang]

Hey man, thanks for the advise, i took the royal back to the store, the orchid immediately came out and hasnt bothered any of my other fish, was really sad to take him back because i really like them but it had to be done.

no worries, glad you got it done. those fish are super hard to catch usually

my weakness is the diadema dottyback, so pretty... but oh so mean.