Blackcap basslet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blackcap basslet |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification |
The blackcap basslet (also known as blackcap gramma) is a beautiful, small fish. Its scientific name is Gramma melacara. You can find it living in the warm, clear waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. These fish love to hide in cracks and holes on coral reefs. They live quite deep, usually between 20 and 60 meters (about 65 to 200 feet) down. Sometimes, you might even see them in home aquariums!
What Does the Blackcap Basslet Look Like?
The blackcap basslet is a small fish. It grows to about 10 centimeters (4 inches) long. Its body is a lovely purple color. This can range from a bright magenta to a deeper purple. It has a special mark: a jet-black stripe that looks like a cap. This black cap runs from its mouth up to the front of its top fin.
Keeping Blackcap Basslets in an Aquarium
Blackcap basslets are generally peaceful fish. They are also quite strong, making them good for home aquariums. If you want to keep one, make sure it's the only blackcap basslet in the tank. They can be very protective of their space. They might not get along with other fish that look similar to them.
These fish love to hide. So, their aquarium needs lots of live rock. This gives them many places to explore and feel safe. When they get scared, they will quickly dart into the rocks.
A good size for one blackcap basslet is an aquarium that holds at least 30 gallons (about 115 liters) of water. If you want to keep more than one, you would need a much larger tank. It should be at least 6 feet long. If you add more than one, put them in the tank at the same time.
Since these fish usually live in deep water, they don't like very bright lights. It's best to have softer lighting in their tank. They are considered "reef compatible." This means they usually get along well in tanks with corals. However, they might eat tiny creatures like copepods or small shrimp.
The water in their tank needs to be just right. The temperature should be between 22 and 25.5 degrees Celsius (72–78 degrees Fahrenheit). The saltiness of the water should be between 1.020 and 1.025. The pH level should be between 8.1 and 8.4.
Blackcap basslets are meat-eaters. In an aquarium, they will usually eat frozen foods. You can feed them things like mysid shrimp or small pieces of fish. They also like special frozen foods made for marine fish that eat meat.
