Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Southern Japan to Mauritius, the Philippines, New Guinea, Indonesia and south to Northern Australia.
Size: 20 inches (50 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow costal water and found with column buried in sand or mud at depths generally less than 15 feet (5 m).
General Husbandry: Usually available in the trade and has an orange or reddish column with rows of small bumps running lengthwise. Its oral disc and tentacles can be brownish, green or purple and sometimes its tentacles exhibit a corkscrew shape.
As to diet, chopped pieces of shrimp, clam meat, or fresh marine fish flesh should be placed close to their central mouth area where in will be drawn in with the help of their tentacles and consumed. One feeding per week will suffice.
Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Order: Actiniaria
Family: Actiniidae
Genus: Macrodactyla
FYI: One of the more common aquarium anemones in the trade because its easy to collect as it occurs on shallow sandy and muddy bottoms. Therefore, in aquaria, should have a sandy/gravel or mud-like substrate of about 4 - 5 inches (10 - 12 cm) to bury its foot.
Only a fairly good clownfish host, as its hosts few species, e.g., A. chrysopterus, A. clarkia, and A. perioderaion.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Diet: Photosynthetic/Carnivore
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Coral Safe: With caution
Fish Safe: With caution
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately difficult
Calcium (Ca): 380 - 430 mg/l
Alkalinity: 2.5 - 3.0 meq/l
Phosphate (PO4): <0.05 mg/l
Magnesium (Mg): approx. 1350 mg/l (relate to specific gravity)
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)
Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons
Lighting: PAR 250 - 400
Water Movement: WM 2
Specific Gravity: 1.023 - 1.025
pH: 8.0 - 8.4
Iodine/Trace Elements: Monitor/as necessary to maintain quality seawater.
