Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Cocos-Keeling Islands and Christmas Islands to Southern Japan and south to Hawaiian Islands and the Great Barrier Reef.
Size: 8 inches (20 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow coastal reefs and lower surge zones and usually found at depths between 6 - 200 feet (2 - 60 m) where it feeds mainly on filamentous algae.
General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade having a laterally compressed body and a small mouth, such as angelfishes and butterflyfishes having a blackish body with a white bar under the eyes, yellow edging on the upper and lower edges of the aft body, yellow on the spine area of the caudal peduncle, and white, yellow and blue, in that order, on the tail.
Can be maintained in reef or fish-only aquariums having wide-open swimming areas and turbulent, well-oxygenated water flow.
Requires a varied vegetable diet, including fresh macroalgae, Spirulina, zucchini, broccoli, dried seaweed (Nori), and enriched vegetable flakes, and requires two or three feedings per day. Will browse on filamentous and microalgae.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Acanthuroidei
Family: Acanthuridae
Genus: Acanthurus
FYI: One per tank.
Easily contracts Marine Ich.
A close relative of A. japonicus. Sometimes sold as a Powder Brown/Gold Rimmed Tang.
Has a sharp forward pointing spine on each side of the caudal peduncle, which folds into a groove. Erected when excited. Handle with care!
Can be quite aggressive towards others in the family.
Browses on filamentous algae, however, rarely lives long in captivity.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Herbivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: Yes
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Moderately aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 150 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.025
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
