Royal Gramma

Looks how to spot one

Small, elongated reef basslet with a two-tone body

A slender little fish painted in two halves: the front glows in violet to deep purple, which melts into bright golden yellow toward the tail. A thin black stripe runs through the eye, and a small black spot sits near the front of the dorsal fin. Few aquarium fish show such a clean, striking split of colours.23

Personality what they are like

Generally peaceful with other fish but likes to claim a favourite cave or ledge as its own home, which it will defend. It tends to stay close to its shelter and shoots back inside if something startles it, then soon pops out again.21

Daily activity how busy a day looks

A moderately active fish that hangs and hovers near rockwork rather than cruising the open tank. It needs plenty of caves, overhangs and crevices to explore and use as a base.12

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

A hardy, beginner-friendly marine fish. Keep the saltwater stable: about 22 to 27 °C (72 to 78 °F), pH 8.1 to 8.4 and specific gravity 1.020 to 1.025, with regular partial water changes.21

Home where they are happiest

A saltwater aquarium of at least about 30 US gallons (roughly 115 L) with lots of live rock arranged into caves and ledges. In the wild it lives on reefs from about 1 to 60 m deep, usually in caves or under overhangs.21

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A plankton eater that feeds on zooplankton and small crustaceans, and it will also pick parasites off other fish. In the aquarium it readily takes frozen foods such as brine shrimp and marine pellets.21

Company who they like around

Usually kept on its own or as a pair. It mixes well with other peaceful community reef fish as long as it has its own cave to call home.2

The story where it all began

The royal gramma was named in 1868 by Felipe Poey, the Cuban zoologist who spent much of his life cataloguing the fishes of Cuba and later wrote a 20-volume work on them. Poey created the genus Gramma at the same time, with this fish as its type species. The genus has since grown to five species, all small, two-toned basslets from the western Atlantic and Caribbean, the most recent added in 2010. With its eye-catching purple and gold colours, peaceful nature and hardiness, the royal gramma became a long-standing favourite in the marine aquarium trade, where it is commonly recommended to newcomers.3421

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List

Assessed as Least Concern (March 2011)1

Felipe Poey

Species described by Poey in 1868; it is the type species of the genus Gramma (family Grammatidae)3