Royal Gramma care guide
Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto) — minimum tank 120 L, temperature 24-27 °C, pH 8-8.4.
Overview
The Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto) is a small basslet of the Caribbean reef, instantly recognisable by a body sharply divided into a magenta-purple front half and a bright yellow rear half. A small dark spot is usually present on the leading dorsal fin rays.
Taxonomy
- Family: Grammatidae
- Genus: Gramma
- Scientific name: Gramma loreto
- Common synonyms: Fairy Basslet
Habitat
Occurs in the western Atlantic from Bermuda and the Bahamas through the Caribbean to Venezuela. Adults shelter in reef caves and beneath ledges between 10 and 60 metres depth, swimming upside-down beneath overhangs to keep ventral surface oriented toward the substrate.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 120 L (31.7 US gal)
- Adult size: 5-8 cm
- Temperature: 24-27 °C (75-81 °F)
- pH: 8-8.4
- GH: 8-12 °dGH
- Water flow: low
- Lifespan: 3-6 years
- Salinity: SG 1.024-1.026
- Carbonate hardness (dKH): 8-12
Diet
A zooplanktivore in the wild, picking copepods and amphipods from the water column. In aquaria it accepts frozen mysis, brine shrimp, marine pellets and high-quality flake; offer multiple small feedings per day.
Compatibility
Peaceful with unrelated species but strongly territorial toward conspecifics and other basslets; keep one per tank unless a very large system allows clearly separated territories. Excellent for reef communities with clownfish, gobies, small wrasses and cardinalfish.
Reef compatibility
Reef-safe. Does not harm corals or ornamental invertebrates and spends most of its time near rockwork, making it well suited to mixed reef aquariums.
Breeding
A demersal egg-layer. The male builds a nest of algal fragments in a cave and tends adhesive eggs deposited by the female; eggs hatch into pelagic larvae over the following nights. Captive rearing of larvae is difficult but has been achieved.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. The species is common across its Caribbean range; ongoing collection for the aquarium trade has not produced documented population declines.