Blackcap basslet
species of fish
The blackcap basslet (Gramma melacara), or blackcap gramma, is a species of fish inhabiting reefs in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean. It prefers vertical surfaces with crevices in which it can hide. It can be found at depths from 10 to 180 metres (33 to 591 ft) (usually between 20 and 60 metres (66 and 197 ft)). This species can also be found in the aquarium trade.
Appearance
A small fish, reaching a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) TL, it is purple with a diagonal black cap on its head. The body colour varies from magenta to purple, and there is a jet-black diagonal cap running from the lip to the fore dorsal fin. The largest scientifically measured blackcap gramma was 10.0 cm / 3.9 inches.
In the aquarium
A hardy fish, it is typically peaceful and can be kept in a reef aquarium. Care should be taken, however, to only add one fish to an aquarium, as they are territorial and do not accept other members of the same, or similar looking species in the same aquarium. Small shrimp also may get eaten by this fish.
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This entry incorporates text from “Blackcap basslet” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.