Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-Pacific Ocean: Philippines to Samoa, north to Southern Japan, and south to New Caledonia and Tonga.
Size: 15 inches (38 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoons and coastal sand and mud slopes
General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade due to its large size. Has a pinkish body with its scales having light centers, three white lines on the head with the upper two into the mid body. There’s also a white spot on the upper caudal peduncle. Sometimes sold as the Red Goatfish!
Best maintained in very large fish-only aquariums with wide-open swimming and unencumbered substrate areas and fed a wide variety of frozen and fresh meaty foodstuffs (chopped squid, scallops, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc.), and be fed at least several times daily. Will also consume any ornamental crustaceans and small fishes in the aquarium.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Mullidae
Genus: Parupeneus
FYI: Unsuitable for most hobbyist aquariums because of its large size and feeds little on substrate benthic invertebrates/does not stir the substrate, and must be hand fed numerous times daily.
Experience Level: Professional
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: 200+ gallons
Temperature Range: 68 - 76°F (20 – 24°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
