Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indian Ocean: Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
Size: 5 inches (13 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow coral reefs and sandy lagoons rich in stony coral growth at depths between 10 – 50 feet (3 - 15 m) and feeds mainly on stony coral polyps.
Natural Environment: Somewhat attractive with a whitish mouth, grey face, greyish white body with numerous horizontal lines of dark grey dots, and a black tail edged in white. Very rarely seen in the trade because its mainly a coral feeder and has proven to be difficult to maintain in captivity unless fed live coral polyps!
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 can be offered several times daily.
Should there be a feeding 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: Best left in the wild!
Experience Level: Professional
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Corallivore
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
