seabass Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 Basslets Basslets are colorful fish which do well in captivity. A top is recommended as they can occasionally jump. Smaller basslets are reef safe (with the exception of small shrimp), while larger basslets can pose a threat to smaller fish, shrimp, and other crustaceans. Offer plenty of live rock for shelter. Assessors have an unusual practice of "hanging out" upside down or vertically in: caves, overhangs, and other shaded areas. Feed Basslets a variety of meaty foods: including mysis shrimp, and quality frozen preparations. Deepwater Candy Basslet (Liopropoma carmabi) Max Size: 2.5" Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons Care level: Difficult Temperament: Peaceful Reef Compatible: Yes Origin: Western Atlantic Ocean Species Notes: Often collected at more than 80 feet deep, the Deepwater Candy Basslet requires temperatures between 68°F and 74°F (typically requiring a chiller). Swales Swissguard Basslet (Liopropoma swalesi) Max Size: 3" Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons Care level: Easy Temperament: Semi-aggressive Reef Compatible: Yes Origin: Indo-Pacific Species Notes: Might eat ornamental crustaceans which can fit in their mouth. Swissguard Basslet (Liopropoma rubre) Max Size: 3" Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons Care level: Easy Temperament: Semi-aggressive Reef Compatible: Yes Origin: Caribbean, Tropical Western Atlantic Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto) Max Size: 3" Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons Care level: Easy Temperament: Peaceful Reef Compatible: Yes Origin: Caribbean, Tropical Western Pacific Species Notes: Can be kept in groups in tanks over 100 gallons, but should be kept singly in nano tanks. Gold Assessor Basslet (Assessor flavissimus) Max size: 3" Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons Care level: Easy Temperament: Peaceful Reef Compatible: Yes Origin: Australia Macneill's Assessor Basslet (Assessor macneilli) a.k.a. Blue Assessor Max Size: 3" Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons Care level: Moderate Temperament: Semi-aggressive Reef Compatible: Yes Origin: Australia, Coral Sea Species Notes: Feed at least twice a day. Randall’s Assessor Basslet (Assessor randalli) Max Size: 3" Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons Care level: Moderate Temperament: Semi-aggressive Reef Compatible: Yes Origin: Philippines Species Notes: Feed at least twice a day. Chalk Bass (Serranus tortugarum) Max Size: 3" Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons Care level: Easy Temperament: Semi-aggressive Reef Compatible: Yes Origin: Caribbean, Tropical Western Atlantic Lantern Bass (Serranus baldwini) Max Size: 4.5" Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons Care level: Easy Temperament: Semi-aggressive Reef Compatible: With Caution Origin: Caribbean, Tropical Western Atlantic Species Notes: Should not be kept with small fish or shrimp. Black Cap Basslet (Gramma melacara) Max Size: 4" Minimum Tank Size: 40 gallons Care level: Easy Temperament: Semi-aggressive Reef Compatible: Yes Origin: Caribbean Species Notes: Does best with lots of rockscape, as it may compete for territory with other rock dwelling species (like certain blennies and gobies). Tobacco Basslet (Serranus tabacarius) Max Size: 7" Minimum Tank Size: 70 gallons Care level: Easy Temperament: Semi-aggressive Reef Compatible: With Caution Origin: Caribbean, Tropical Western Atlantic Species Notes: Can pose a threat to smaller fishes (like small damsels, gobies, and blennies) as well as to small crustaceans. Multiples can be kept in tanks greater than 120 gallons. Harlequin Bass (Serranus tigrinus) Max Size: 11.5" Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons Care level: Easy Temperament: Semi-aggressive Reef Compatible: With Caution Origin: Caribbean, Tropical Western Atlantic Species Notes: May be aggressive to smaller tank mates, smaller sea basses, or bottom dwelling fish which occupy the same territory. Photos by 2 Quote Link to comment
growsomething Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 Would love to fill my 200g with a bunch of these smaller ones if I ever set it up and do a FL biotope someday. 2 Quote Link to comment
seabass Posted July 23, 2021 Author Share Posted July 23, 2021 5 minutes ago, growsomething said: Would love to fill my 200g with a bunch of these smaller ones if I ever set it up and do a FL biotope someday. I totally agree. Watching multiple Royal Grammas would make for a beautiful display. Quote Link to comment
Tritone Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 Yoo hoo, my favourites! Thanks for the chapter. Are we still going to have a pinned Index on top of main page? Quote Link to comment
seabass Posted July 23, 2021 Author Share Posted July 23, 2021 Maybe when it's done. Quote Link to comment
Micro-Reefs Aquariums Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 I have the Swiss Guard Basslet in my 30 gallon reef system. He is very beautiful but elusive and shy, he has the whole tank to himself as it is a new system. He loves the 30 lbs of live rock I have in the tank and he patrols all around in the shadows. He is very intelligent and when I feed he goes around the shadows of the tank to eat the frozen brine I feed. You listed the candy basslet which comes from deep water, can you make sure you let others know that you cannot keep that deep water species at 78F degrees for the fish to thrive. Many don't know that at depth, you are talking about much different oxygen needs from the cooler waters, please add the depth at which the candy is collected and how it should be supported in such a system that can bring down the temp to the requirement Thanks for sharing all this information on basslets. . 1 1 Quote Link to comment
A.m.P Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 This'll be a weird recommendation, but after collecting the experience of a handful of distributors and other hobbyist; it may make sense to classify the Black Cap as 30-40 gallons for "sole specimen" (Maybe with one or two open water fish who won't go near the rocks) and cautious with CuC. 55+ for keeping them with a community (or an immense amount of rockwork). FWIW it seems they can have more of a tobbacco/lantern basslet disposition, as opposed to fairly-peaceful chalk bass. Side note, it may work to also keep them with minimal rockscape because that would let you "set" their territory, but that may lead to stress and reclusiveness. When they mature they are quite large and will basically claim most of the open rockwork in the tank as their territory and flit between it throughout the day. Their aggression is usually harmless posturing but can include chasing and pinning fish to corners (and keeping them there). They can and will kill small snails (or snails too close to their territory), they can eat baby snails or shrimp. I wouldn't advise keeping them with anything else that lives on the rock and I wouldn't advise keeping them with anything that isn't resilient to being bullied, which isn't willing to move when approached, and isn't rather durable. Caution with Blennies -gudgeons are probably a no-go- and caution with peaceful, non-open water fish (Firefish and such should be okay), but may get along with damselfish if they can hold their own or run away. They're also pretty feisty with new tankmates so I would always "Add Last". My .02. Edit, now with pictures. 2 1 Quote Link to comment
1epauletteshark Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 Can I suggest a few fish to add?Swalesi swissguard basslet (Liopropoma swalesi) Max size: 3" Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons Care level: Moderate Temperament: Semi-aggressive Reef Compatible: Yes Origin: Australia, Indonesia, Central/West Pacific I'm not sure if there is another space for assessors but I thought I would add them anyways. Gold assessor basslet (Assessor flavissimus) Max size: 3" Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons Care level: Easy Temperament: Semi-aggressive Reef Compatible: Yes Origin: Australia Macneill's assessor basslet (Assessor macneilli) Max size: 3" Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons Care level: Moderate Temperament: Peaceful Reef Compatible: Yes Origin: Australia 1 2 Quote Link to comment
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