Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Central Pacific Ocean: Hawaiian Islands and Johnston Atoll.
Size: 5 inches (12 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoon reefs, reef faces, reef slopes, and drop-offs at depths between 3 – 800 feet (1 – 240 m) and is mostly a mid-water feeder, feeding on zooplankton, yet also feeds on benthic invertebrates.
General Husbandry: One of the favorites with hobbyists as its not only good looking, but also quite hardy. Its body is basically yellow, with rows of black vertical dots, a black eye band, black peduncle, and yellow dorsal, anal and tail fins.
Best maintained in larger peaceful fish-only aquariums, especially those with lots of open swimming space, and live rock hiding places. As to diet, a meaty diet of live fortified brine shrimp and/or black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus) is a good beginning. Once feeding regularly, various frozen meaty foods such as mysis, and chopped mussels (which it seems to like very much) can be offered several times daily.
Not a difficult species to get feeding in captivity, yet should there be a problem, 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 or with others from other butterflyfish genera, yet best to introduce all at the same time.
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: Beginner
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: 72 - 81°F (22 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
