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Royal Gramma – a Good Beginner Fish

Of the three fish mentioned in the linked article I’ve only kept one personally, that’s the royal gramma. But they are all very attractive fish. Since I’ve not kept the others I won’t give you advice on them. I try to talk about fish that I’ve either kept myself or observed closely in someone else’s talk. Something that I have personal experience with and can say that I know how it behaves rather than just what I’ve read about it.

The royal gramma is an easy fish to care for and one I recommend for beginners. I have found that they are a relatively peaceful fish as long as they aren’t housed with other gramma or fish that look like gramma. They don’t require a huge tank, a 30 gallon is great, a 20 long with enough rock and sand will do though. I find that they do well with a pair of clown fish.

They are a deep water fish in the wild so they don’t care for really bright lights and will need plenty of places to hide. They will come out when your lights are on, even in a bright reef tank, but they tend to go in and out of the light. You’ll see them plenty in the open to enjoy them.

It’s not a large fish, getting only about 3″ long. They do well with meaty foods but will also take flake. I’ve just had the best luck with Formula II flake over the years that it tends to be my primary food. It has a bit of everything. I still keep some mysis and brine around for the occasional treat.

It’s also a reef safe fish that won’t pick on your corals. On top of all that, it doesn’t cost very much to buy. You can usually pick on up for around $15 which, given the coloration and temperament, is a very good price for a very good beginner fish.

People often ask me what my favorite reef fish and they’re often surprised to learn that the common, run of the mill royal gramma is definitely at the top

Source: Close Encounters With Three Amazing Grammas Featured, News Reef Builders | The Reef and Marine Aquarium Blog

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