Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: North Carolina south the Gulf of Mexico, west to the Bahamas and south to Brazil.
Size: 6 inches (15 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow coastal sponge and coralline encrusted reefs at depths of 15 – 250 feet (5 – 75 m) and natural diet consists of polychaete worms, small crustaceans, amphipods and hydroids.
General Husbandry: Quite pretty as it has silvery-white body highlighed with a black eye band, black on the caudal peduncle, and yellow dorsal, anal, and tail fins. Very hardy and easy to feed, and if there is a species in this genus that is to some major extent reef safe, this is it!
Best maintained in larger peaceful fish-only aquariums, especially those with lots of open swimming space, live rock hiding places, and having some micro and macroalgae growths. 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. 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 or with others from other butterflyfish genera, yet all should be added 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: Omnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful or non-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Temperature Range: 68 - 82°F (20 – 28°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
