Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea to Tuamotu Islands.
Size: 12 inches (30 cm)
Natural Environment: Lives singly in deep coral and rock crevices that protect its body with only its oral disc and tentacles exposed at depths from 10 to 100 feet (3 - 30 m).
General Husbandry: May attach itself to rubble/rock in the aquarium, or embed its foot into the sand bed, which should be at least 4 inches (10 cm) deep, where it attaches its lower foot on the bottom of the aquarium.
Usually has a gray column and its disc and tentacles can be green, gray, or mauve. Often has purple or pink tipped tentacles.
Requires two or three weekly feedings of chopped fish meat, shrimp, mysis, bloodworms, mussels/clam meat, and/or squid.
Generally has a poor record of survivorship in captivity, probably due to poor transportation from its origin, as most perish. Yet if a healthy specimen is found, tends to do well.
Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Order: Actiniaria
Family: Stichodactylidae
Genus: Heteractis
FYI: Reported to host fourteen different Anemonefishes in the wild - A. clarki, A. tricinctus, A. chrysopterus, A. akindynos, A. bicinctus, A. perideraion, A. polymnus, A. percula, A. ephippium, A. latezonatus, A. leucokranos, A. omanenisi, A. melonopus, and A. sandaracinos.
Experience Level: Expert
Diet: Photosynthetic/Carnivore
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Coral Safe: With caution
Fish Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: Yes
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Hardiness: 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 to 79°F (22 - 26°C)
Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons
Lighting: PAR 300 - 450+
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.
