Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-Pacific Ocean: Moluccas and the Philippines, west to Samoa, north to Southern Japan, and south to New Caledonia and Tonga.
Size: 10 inches (25 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoons, seagrass meadows, reefs faces and fore-reef slopes at depths between 10 - 130 feet (3 – 40 m) and throughout the day feeds on shrimp, crabs, worms, snails, bivalves, and small fishes.
General Husbandry: One of the more commonly seen goatfish in the trade and also one of the smallest. Has a brownish purplish color on the front half of the body with two white stripes running from the mouth towards the mid body. The rear of the body is white with its top area yellow and having a black spot.
Best maintained in large fish-only aquariums with wide-open swimming and unencumbered substrate areas so it can use its barbels to sift through the sand. As to diet, will consume a wide variety of frozen and fresh meaty foodstuffs (chopped squid, scallops, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc.), including any ornamental crustaceans and possibly very small fishes in the aquarium, and should be fed at least several times daily. Live glass/ghost shrimp, live black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus), and sinking shrimp pellets are also welcomed foodstuffs.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Mullidae
Genus: Parupeneus
FYI: Will decimate aquarium benthic invertebrate population in a very short period of time. Yet, a good sand sifter, if desired.
Can jump out of uncovered aquariums.
Of all the goatfish species, possibly the best for hobbyist aquariums.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: No
Fish Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful or non-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 100+ gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 79°F (22 – 26°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
