The royal gramma (Gramma Loreto), along with the percula clownfish (percula and ocellaris), flame angel (Centropyge Loriculus), yellow tang (Zebrasoma Flavescens) and the blue tang (Paracanthurus Hepatus) make up the five most recognizable fishes in the marine aquarium hobby. It is commonly called the fairy basslet as well.
The royal gramma is brilliantly colored. Its front half is a rich blueish-purple while the rest of its body is a bright yellow mixed in with some orange. It has a thin dark stripe that runs from its snout through its eyes.There is also a single black spot at the front of its dorsal fin.
They are commonly fond throughout the Caribbean Sea. They retail for as little as $15 dollars and are disease resistant and hardy. A winning combination. Always available, cheap, beautiful and easily kept in a home aquarium. It shares very similar colors with the bicolor dottyback Pseudochromis Bicolor). Fortunately, they are easily distinguishable. Only the royal gramma has a black streak running through its eyes.
The royal gramma is a good candidate for just about any aquarium. They are peaceful provided they have a small territory of their own. I have personally kept the royal gramma with clownfish, dwarf angels, large angels, gobies, damsels and dottybacks and have found that it does well with all of them. Again, only if they have their own territory. If any fish attempts to enter its domain however, there will be trouble.
In the wild, royal grammas have reached lengths nearing 4 inches. Such lengths are usually not common in captivity, expect your specimen to reach a maximum of 3 inches. Royal grammas have been successfully kept in aquariums as small as 10 gallons. Minimum tank size should be at least 20 gallons since they will eventually attain a length of 3 inches.
Royal grammas are carnivores in the wild, eating copepods and plankton. Your corals are safe with them as they are reef safe. Offer them a variety of meaty foods. Frozen foods such as Krill, Mysis shrimp and Prime Reef (A good blend of raw seafood) are all great choices. They normally begin eating very quickly after introduction.
Royal grammas have been bred in captivity They are a nest building fish, utilizing macroalgae as for their spawning site (usually a cave). The male tries to lure the female into its newly built spawning site by quivering and flaring its fins. Assuming the female is receptive, they will begin mating in the males cave. Their larvae accept rotifers and eventually baby brine shrimp without hesitation.
Related posts:
- The Blue Tang : A Guide On The Most Popular Surgeonfish
- Blue Tang : An In-Depth Guide On Paracanthurus Hepatus
- The Blue Tang : A Guide On The Most Popular Surgeonfish
- The Stunning Mandarin Dragonet : Their Care And Requirements
- Paracanthurus Hepatus : Care And Requirements Of The Popular Blue Tang
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