''Gramma dejongi'', also known as golden basslet, is a species of fish in the family

Grammatidae Grammatidae is a small family of ray-finned fishes which were formerly placed in the order Perciformes but are now regarded as being ''incertae sedis'' in the subseries Ovalentaria in the clade Percomorpha. They are commonly known as basslets. Th ...

native to reef environments of the tropical waters in the Caribbean Sea.

Appearance

The fish is distinctive among the basslets as having a primary color that is not purple. It is instead primarily golden yellow with purple patches on its fins and a slight path on the belly near the fins. There is also a black spot on the dorsal fin. It is relatively small at about 7 cm (2.7 in), smaller than the

Royal gramma The royal gramma (''Gramma loreto''), also known as the fairy basslet, is a species of fish in the family Grammatidae native to reef environments of the tropical western Atlantic Ocean. They are commonly kept in aquariums. Appearance The fish c ...

Range

This species is considered to be largely endemic to the waters around Cuba. However a solitary individual has been found off the coast of the

Little Cayman Island Little Cayman is one of three Islands that make up the Cayman Islands. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, approximately 60 miles (96 km) northeast of East End, Grand Cayman and five miles (8 km) west of West End, Cayman Brac. Little C ...

in the

Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory—the largest by population in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the ...

. Whether this represents another population or a displaced individual cannot be confirmed.

In aquariums

This species is popular as an aquarium pet, but due to its recent discovery it has not been as popular as other species. Its temperament is similar to that of the other '' Gramma'' species. Of note it is the first basslet to have a distinct color morph bred by enthusiasts, that being the "Platinum" variant, in which the purple coloration is replaced by a white color.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2457185 Fish described in 2010 Gramma (fish) Endemic fauna of Cuba Fish of Cuba