Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Eastern Atlantic Ocean: Senegal and Cape Verde to the Gulf of Guinea.
Size: 5 inches (12 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits cool inshore waters at depths from about 100 to 300 feet (30 – 180 m) and feeds on worms and crustaceans. Found singly, in pairs, or small groups.
General Husbandry: Rarely collected for the trade as it's a cool water species, nevertheless, quite attractive and hardy, as it has a yellowish whitish body with a narrow blackish band over the head that connects and passes though both eyes. There’s also a wide black vertical band towards the rear of the body, and yellow dorsal, pelvic and anal fins.
Said to adapt quite easily to aquarium life in larger cool water peaceful fish-only community aquariums, especially those with lots of open swimming space. A meaty diet of live fortified brine shrimp, black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus), and/or various frozen meaty foods such as mysis, should be offered several times daily.
Its recommended there be only one species from this genus in the aquarium, as they tend to develop aggression toward others of the same genus, yet not others in other family genera.
Should there be a problem getting this species to feed in the aquarium, small human consumption clams/black mussels purchased in local grocery stores and placed on the half-shell in the aquarium may help entice it to begin feeding.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Chaetodontidae
Genus: Prognathodes
FYI: Those in this genus are usually referred to as ‘Longnose Butterflyfish.’
Pressing some soft foods into openings/crevices on a piece of old dead coral skeleton can sometimes encourage finicky eaters to begin feeding.
Experience Level: Professional
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: No
Invertebrate Safe: No
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful or non-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Temperature Range: 61 - 66°F (16 – 19°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
