Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Philippines and Indonesia, north to Southern Japan.
Size: 2 inches (5 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits caves and crevices near drop-offs in coastal reefs usually from 65 to 200 feet (20 – 60 m) where it feeds mainly on small worms and crustaceans/zooplankton.
General Husbandry: Rarely ever seen in the trade, having light tan body, reddish head, and a wide horizontal black body band with yellow on the upper body and dorsal fin.
Best maintained in a well-established reef aquarium having many rocky hiding places/crevices to investigate or take shelter, as this species is very shy/secretive. Can also be kept in a fish-only aquarium, but it should also have many well-established rocky hiding places/crevices to investigate or take shelter. Will remain secretive and may become difficult to feed. Should there not be enough natural foods in the aquarium, this species may become difficult to maintain long-term.
As to diet, products such as marine fish and crustacean flesh, clams, and other marine meaty foods should make up the majority of their diet. Therefore a meaty diet such as enriched finely chopped fresh fish or shrimp flesh, and/or frozen carnivore foods should be fed daily.
May be necessary to feed live adult enriched brine shrimp and/or black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus) to sustain this species, especially so in aquariums having competition for microorganisms.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Pseudochromidae
Subfamily: Pseudoplesiopinae
Genus: Lubbockichthys
FYI: Will be picked on by more aggressive tankmates.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: Yes
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 20+ gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 81°F (22 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
