Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: East Africa to Society Islands, northward to Southern Japan, south to New South Wales.
Size: 24 inches (60 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits reef slopes and hides in caves and under ledges during the day and usually found at depths between 50 to 100 feet (15 - 30 m) where it feeds mainly at night on benthic invertebrate.
General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade, and having a tannish body with several dark brown blotches.
Best maintained in fish-only aquariums with wide-open swimming areas, peaceful tankmates, and tankmates too large to be eaten.
Should not be housed with aggressive or fin-nipping fishes, such as groupers, dottybacks, triggerfishes or angelfishes, as this is a slow moving species.
Requires a varied diet, i.e., enriched live brine shrimp, mysis, chunky chopped fish or shrimp flesh, and/or carnivore frozen foods, along with some vegetable matter. Should have numerous daily feedings, preferably early daytime and late evenings.
Taxonomy:
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Suborder: Tetraodontoidei
Family: Diodontidae
Genus: Diodon
FYI: Will eat smaller fishes, ornamental shrimp, crabs, snails, urchins, sea stars, and worms.
Will nip the fins of slow moving tankmates.
May eat soft corals.
Mainly nocturnal.
Can inflate their bellies with air and look balloon-like.
Experience Level: Expert
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: No
Invertebrate Safe: No
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful, and larger
Minimum Tank Size: 250 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
