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Royal Gramma
Gramma loreto
Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii›Grammatidae
📍 Caribbean — Bahamas, Belize, Venezuela
Arguably the most striking Caribbean reef fish — front half vivid purple, rear half bright yellow. Hardy, peaceful, and reef-safe. Tends to hang upside-down under ledges mimicking its cave habitat.
Care Guide
Diet
Royal Grammas are carnivorous and should be fed high-quality meaty foods once daily. Offer a varied diet of mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, small pellets, and occasionally small crustaceans. They will readily accept frozen foods and quality marine flakes, but live or frozen options promote better coloration and health.
Behavior
Royal Grammas are semi-aggressive and somewhat territorial, especially toward similar-sized fish or other grammas. They are naturally cave-dwelling and will spend much time hovering near or under rockwork, often swimming upside-down along overhangs. They are generally peaceful toward larger fish and invertebrates but may harass smaller, docile species.
Breeding
Breeding Royal Grammas in captivity is difficult and rarely achieved in home aquaria. They are pair-spawners that require specific cave structures and pristine water conditions to initiate spawning. Larvae are planktonic and require specialized rearing conditions, making successful captive breeding uncommon among hobbyists.
Tank Mates
Similar reef-safe temperament and water requirements; occupy different tank zones
Small, peaceful, and reef-safe; unlikely to compete for territory
Reef-safe invertebrate that occupies different ecological niche
Peaceful invertebrate; may form symbiotic relationships in larger tanks
Reef-safe algae grazer that poses no threat to the gramma
Common Diseases
Ich (Marine Ich)
White spots on body and fins, rapid breathing, flashing against rocks
Raise temperature gradually to 28-29°C, use copper-based medication or hyposalinity; quarantine affected fish
Velvet Disease
Fine golden or rust-colored dust on body, lethargy, rapid gill movement
Increase aeration, use copper treatment or formalin; maintain excellent water quality and quarantine
Bacterial Infections
Torn fins, lesions, discoloration, loss of appetite
Improve water quality, perform partial water changes, use antibiotic medications if severe
Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE)
Pitting or erosion on head and lateral line, caused by poor nutrition or water quality
Improve diet with varied meaty foods, enhance water quality, supplement with vitamin-enriched foods
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Quick Facts
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- diet
- carnivore — mysis, brine shrimp, pellets
- maxSize
- 3 inches
- minTankSize
- 20 gallons
- temperature
- 72–82°F (22–28°C)
Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C