Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Seychelles Islands and Aldabra.
Size: 5 inches (14 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoon and seaward reefs at depths between 15 to about 100 feet (5 – 30 m) and usually found inhabiting only the Stichodactyla mertensii anemone where it feeds mainly on planktonic crustaceans (copepods, mysis, and shrimp larvae), and algae.
General Husbandry: Rarely available in the trade, with adults having a blackish body with yellow on the belly, two white vertical body bands, and its pelvic, pectoral, and anal fins yellow.
Best maintained in aquaria having live rock, hiding places, macroalgae, and semi-aggressive tankmates.
As to diet, will eat most regular aquarium foods, e.g., live fortified brine shrimp and/or finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc., and plant material, e.g., flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina and should be offered once or twice daily.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Labroidei
Family: Pomacentridae
Subfamily: Amphiprioninae
Genus: Amphiprion
FYI: In the wild, its hosting anemone is only the Stichodactyla mertensii.
If maintained with a hosting anemone, aquarium size should be >50 gallons.
Maintain only as a single specimen, or as a mated pair.
Do not house with other species in this family or with peaceful tankmates. Can be housed without a hosting anemone.
Females are larger than males.
If the female is removed, the male will change sex and one of the juveniles will become the new functioning male.
A member of the Clarkii Complex.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Omnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Semi-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Temperature Range: 74 - 82°F (23 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
