Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indian Ocean: Andaman Sea, south to the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.
Size: 7 inches (18 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits rocky coral reefs and open adjacent sandy areas at depths of 3 – 100 feet (1 – 30 m) and natural diet consists of stony coral polyps, fanworms, anemones, crustaceans, tunicates, and algae.
General Husbandry: Quite attractive as it has silvery-white body with slanted grey lines and a wide vertical black band through the eyes, with the aft portion of the body mostly black. There’s also yellow markings on the tail and anal fins.
A very hardy species, and best maintained in larger peaceful fish-only aquariums, especially those with lots of open swimming space, live rock hiding places, and having micro and macroalgae growths.
Should be housed in larger peaceful fish-only community aquariums, especially those with lots of open swimming space, live rock hiding places, and having micro and macroalgae growths. As to diet, a meaty diet of live fortified brine shrimp and/or black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus) and various frozen meaty foods such as mysis, can be offered several times daily. Since its known to also injest algae in the wild, flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina and/or Nori should also be occasionally offered.
Even though known for feeding immediately upon entering the aquarium, should there be a problem getting this species to feed, 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. Over time, frozen foods like mysis and brine shrimp may be more readily accepted.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Chaetodontidae
Genus: Chaetodon
FYI: Can be maintained with others in the same genus.
Juveniles acclimate more easily to aquarium life than do adults.
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: Intermediate
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Omnivore
Coral Safe: No
Invertebrate Safe: No
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful or non-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 28°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
