Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Central Pacific Ocean: Hawaiian and Johnston Islands.
Size: 12 inches (30 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoons and seaward reefs and usually found at depths between 15 – 85 feet (5 – 25 m) where it feeds on benthic invertebrates and small fishes.
General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade with the adult male having a deep blue head followed by an orange band, with the remaining body a dark green. Males are much larger than females.
Best maintained in large fish-only aquariums having a fine sand bed, (0.5 – 2.0 mm) and at least 4 inches deep (for juveniles), along with several rocky caves and crevices to hunt or sleep in and also wide open swimming areas as those in this genus are highly active swimmers.
May rearrange bottom dwelling corals in its search for tasty bottom dwelling invertebrates, e.g., snails, tubeworms, sea stars, cucumbers, urchins, crabs, and shrimp and will also eat smaller fishes, even those slightly larger by first grabbing them and then bashing them against hard objects, then consuming the pieces. Will quickly burrow into the sand if frightened, and occasionally for sleeping at night.
Preferable tankmates are those that are larger and somewhat aggressive, e.g., groupers, angelfishes, hawkfishes, moray eels, and moderately aggressive triggerfishes.
Requires a meaty diet, including fortified brine shrimp, mysis, and other meaty type marine-based frozen for fresh foods, and should be fed three times daily. Will also accept flake and other dry foods, such as pellet foods.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Labroidei
Family: Labridae
Genus: Thalassoma
FYI: Will jump out of uncovered aquariums.
One male per aquarium.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Aggressive
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: With caution
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Larger, and moderately aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 150 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
