Royal Gramma Losing Color

[Razorbacks]

My royal gramma seems to be losing color. I've read this is common, but since it seems to be accelerating a bit I'm wondering if there's something else going on. Below is some tank info as well as a link to a video of the fish roughly 30 seconds long. The RG shares a tank with 2 clowns and a pink spot watchman. All are small/juvenile. RG has been in tank since around August but I've only notice the color loss over the last 30-45 days or so. All my fish get a full QT with Jay's method (copper + prazi). I have a QT available if I need to pull and medicate this guy but just put a new non-QT'ed fish in it so if I add him he'll be stuck going through a full QT protocol for 45 days...

Aquarium Parameters:
Aquarium type: Reef
Aquarium water volume: 20 gallon long
Filtration type: protein skimmer, hob with sponge
How long has the aquarium been established?: 1.5 years for rock, but moved from 10 to 20 gallon tank about 6 months ago

In-depth information:
Have you lost any fish to this problem yet? No
Are any invertebrates affected? No
Respiration rate of affected fish: Appears normal
Are the affected fish still feeding? Yes
What remedies have you tried so far? N/A
Attaching a video link: Link

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Razorbacks Welcome to the Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Forum!

The #fishmedic team and other knowledgeable members of our community will do our best to help you resolve your questions. Please provide as much of the following as you are able:

• Brief description of the issue you are observing and answers to the following questions:
  • How long have you had the fish with the condition?
  • Did you quarantine with medication when you first acquired the fish? (If Yes, which medication?)
• Current water quality measurements
• Clear photos of the issue taken using WHITE light and/or a short video of any behaviors (post in your response or on YouTube).

If you can help us by providing as much of the above info as possible, it will make diagnosing and providing recommendations for treatment MUCH easier! The Fish Medic team will get back to you as quickly as possible. In the meantime, other members of our community may also share their experience with similar situations and advice that they may have regarding your situation.

You may also feel free to provide a more detailed description of the condition if you wish to share more info than the above list.

Additionally, these links may be useful while you await a response:

• CURRENT QT PROTOCOL LINK
• HOW TO ASK FOR DISEASE DIAGNOSIS HELP LINK

 

[Jay Hemdal]

My royal gramma seems to be losing color. I've read this is common, but since it seems to be accelerating a bit I'm wondering if there's something else going on. Below is some tank info as well as a link to a video of the fish roughly 30 seconds long. The RG shares a tank with 2 clowns and a pink spot watchman. All are small/juvenile. RG has been in tank since around August but I've only notice the color loss over the last 30-45 days or so. All my fish get a full QT with Jay's method (copper + prazi). I have a QT available if I need to pull and medicate this guy but just put a new non-QT'ed fish in it so if I add him he'll be stuck going through a full QT protocol for 45 days...

Aquarium Parameters:
Aquarium type: Reef
Aquarium water volume: 20 gallon long
Filtration type: protein skimmer, hob with sponge
How long has the aquarium been established?: 1.5 years for rock, but moved from 10 to 20 gallon tank about 6 months ago

In-depth information:
Have you lost any fish to this problem yet? No
Are any invertebrates affected? No
Respiration rate of affected fish: Appears normal
Are the affected fish still feeding? Yes
What remedies have you tried so far? N/A
Attaching a video link: Link

I don’t see any distinct disease symptoms here - are you seeing any scratching/flashing?

This may be normal fading seen in these fish, perhaps combined with some environmental issues….

What are you feeding it?
Do you know the nitrate levels?

 

[BriansBrain]

What kind of food do you feed? What brands? Diet is a big part of fish coloration

 

[Razorbacks]

I don’t see any distinct disease symptoms here - are you seeing any scratching/flashing?

This may be normal fading seen in these fish, perhaps combined with some environmental issues….

What are you feeding it?
Do you know the nitrate levels?

Nitrates have always been fairly low. Think the max I've ever hit is like 5. No flashing/scratching I've witnessed. I did suspect diet as well and that's highly likely. I've always fed just one brand of flakes that the clowns have done fine on but the container is getting old. I recently discontinued it and replaced with a more balanced diet. Now feeding 2 different brands of flakes, 1 brand of pellets, occasional frozen mysis, and about to start doing some live brine. Hopefully the broader diet mix will help.

 

[Razorbacks]

Update: looking at the video from a month ago vs today I think the improved nutrition has deepened the purple coloration and possibly improved the white streaking a little.

However, I now suspect that the fish doesn't have enough hiding places. I just ordered a barnacle cluster I'm going to add to the tank for more hiding spots. I think the fish has been squeezing into holes that are too small and damaging it's scales in the process. I say this because I've seen some turf disputes with my watchman goby and then after I shifted a rock recently he fairly quickly tried to make a home near it. I'm watching him shovel sand out from around it with his mouth right now.

Also on careful inspection I realized that even though I'm feeding a variety of foods, the fish doesn't eat all of them so he's not necessarily getting as much variety as I think. I'm going to order a few more to add into the rotation including some with spirulina which I read helps with fish coloration.

 

[TurboTang]

I think you are on the right track with your Gramma. It's a fish that likes good hiding spots. I've had mine about 2 years now - and it will bite the crap out of my hand if I put it near it's two hidey holes.
I feed frozen rods herbivore blend mixed with TDO and vitachem. Color has never faded. Tank size is 150g (6ft), and 7 total fish with lots of rock/coral to hide in. So it can thrive without constant competition.

 

[Razorbacks]

I think you are on the right track with your Gramma. It's a fish that likes good hiding spots. I've had mine about 2 years now - and it will bite the crap out of my hand if I put it near it's two hidey holes.
I feed frozen rods herbivore blend mixed with TDO and vitachem. Color has never faded. Tank size is 150g (6ft), and 7 total fish with lots of rock/coral to hide in. So it can thrive without constant competition.

I could be wrong but yours looks a bit more like a gramma brasiliensis vs a gramma loreto. Does yours look more like the left or the right.

 

[TurboTang]

I could be wrong but yours looks a bit more like a gramma brasiliensis vs a gramma loreto. Does yours look more like the left or the right.

Looks like Gramma loreto with larger dorsal and pectoral fins and black stripe along eye. Here are some older photos with less blue light - but still with phone quality

 

[TurboTang]

I checked where I purchased it from (marine collectors) and they list it as loreto. But wow I don't remember it being that costly. Hope it lives a long long time.

 

[Razorbacks]

4 month update: looking at the initial video vs today I do feel like color has deepened and also the white streaking has reduced on the scales. Hoping over time the scales will fully color backup/replaced by new colorful scales.