Fairy basslet
The fairy basslet, also known as the Royal Gramma, is a small, vibrantly colored fish found in the western-central Atlantic Ocean. Characterized by its striking purple face that transitions to an orange-yellow tail, the fairy basslet typically measures just over three inches long. This species inhabits coral reefs, often swimming upside down or at an angle while maintaining balance with its long dorsal fin and rounded pectoral fins. As an omnivorous fish, its diet includes plankton, algae, and small aquatic animals, and it plays a role as a cleaner fish by consuming parasites from other fish.
Mating occurs during summer evenings, with males performing elaborate displays to attract females, leading to a spawning process where females can release between 20 to 100 eggs at a time. Interestingly, fairy basslets are also hermaphroditic, allowing females to transform into males when there is a shortage of males in their group. Popular in aquariums due to their bright colors and serene nature, fairy basslets can live for around five years in captivity.
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Fairy basslet
The fairy basslet, or the Royal Gramma, is a bicolored cleaner fish with a purple face that gradually shifts to an orange-yellow color at the tail. It is native to the Atlantic Ocean and is a popular aquarium fish.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Grammatidae
Genus: Gramma
Species: Loreto
The average fairy basslet is just over three inches (eight centimeters) long. It has a long dorsal fin along the ridge of its back with a black spot on the top, a shorter anal fin along the rear portion of its belly, and rounded pectoral fins. These fins work together to keep the fairy basslet balanced in the water. A black streak extends from its short snout backward, across its eye.
Since the fairy basslet cannot inhale air and process oxygen like humans, it must find the oxygen it needs from the water in which it lives. The fairy basslet takes water into its mouth, keeps the oxygen it needs, and filters out the waste chemicals through the gills on both sides of its body.
The fairy basslet lives in small groups among the coral reefs of the western-central Atlantic Ocean. Under ledges or in the reef's caves at depths up to 200 feet (60 meters), it swims with its belly toward the reef. This often results in the fairy basslet swimming at an angle or upside down. As small reef fish, they only emerge to hunt. They are peaceful, but will fiercely defend their territory.
As an omnivorous fish, the fairy basslet feeds on both meat and plants. Its diet consists of plankton, or microscopic crustaceans, larvae, and algae. It is a cleaner fish, eating the parasites from the skin of other fish. Some larger fairy basslets eat tiny aquatic, or water-living animals and smaller fish.
The mating season for the fairy basslet occurs during summer evenings. The male performs a display act for mature female fairy basslets attempting to find a mate. His dorsal fins and spines stand upright as he swims backward through the water displaying his bright colors. When the male finds an interested female, he rubs against her sides and belly. The pair swims away from the reef toward the surface to mate. The male and female release their sperm and eggs near the water's surface. Each female may release 20 to 100 eggs for the male to fertilize. This process of releasing and fertilizing eggs is known as spawning. After spawning, the male regularly attends to the nest until the eggs hatch in five to seven days.
Members of some genera of basslets are hermaphroditic fish, or creatures with male and female reproductive organs. All basslets are females at birth but can become male after maturing. Female basslets only become male basslets when there is a shortage of males. A female may become a male when a school becomes too large for the number of males in the group. At that point, the dominant female transforms into a male, produces sperm, and can mate within a few days. Some other species of Perciformes are also hermaphrodites.
The fairy basslet is popular in home aquariums because of its brightly-colored body.
The life span of the fairy basslet is around five years in captivity.
Bibliography
"Royal Gramma (Gramma Loreto): Ultimate Care Guide." Fish Laboratory, 24 Nov. 2023, www.fishlaboratory.com/fish/royal-gramma. Accessed 1 Apr. 2024.