Royal Gramma

Darts

Royal Gramma

Gramma loreto

Violet up front, gold behind. A tiny fish that darts out from rocky ledges.

Group
Other reef fish
Family
Basslets (Grammatidae)
Size
About 8 cm long
Habitat
Coral reefs of the western Atlantic, including the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Bermuda

About

A tiny fish painted in two colors: bright violet up front and golden yellow behind, with the colors blending smoothly where they meet. A thin black line through the eye and a small black spot at the front of the dorsal fin also help identify it.

It prefers dim places such as rocky ledges and cave entrances. Because it keeps its belly toward the nearest rock surface, it often seems to swim upside down beneath overhangs.

In Fish Around

It holds still for a moment, then darts off in a quick, short burst.

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