Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Central Pacific Ocean: Marshall Islands and New Caledonia.
Size: 5 inches (12 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoon patch reefs, reef faces, and fore-reef slopes at depths between 10 to about 130 feet (3 – 40 m) where its color is dependent upon the anemone species in inhabits, and mainly feeds on planktonic crustaceans (copepods, mysis, and shrimp larvae), and algae.
General Husbandry: Occasionally available in the trade and quite hardy. If the overall orange form, it inhabits Entacmaea quadricolor, Heteractis auora and Heteractis crispa. If the black phase, it lives in Stichodactyla mertensii. Each phase has three vertical, white body bands, one on the head, second mid body and the third on the caudal peduncle.
Best maintained in aquaria having live rock, hiding places, macroalgae, peaceful tankmates, and with a hosting anemone.
As to diet, will eat most regular aquarium foods, e.g., live fortified brine shrimp and/or finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc., and plant material, e.g., flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina and should be offered once or twice daily.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Labroidei
Family: Pomacentridae
Subfamily: Amphiprioninae
Genus: Amphiprion
FYI: In the wild, its hosting anemones are: Entacmaea quadricolor, Heteractis auora, Heteractis crispa and Stichodactyla mertensii.
Can be maintained without a hosting anemone.
If maintained with a hosting anemone, aquarium size should be >50 gallons.
Do not house with other species in this family.
Females are larger than males.
If the female is removed, the male will change sex and one of the juveniles will become the new functioning male.
A member of the Clarkii Complex.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Omnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Semi-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Temperature Range: 74 - 82°F (23 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
