Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Abudefduf

Abudefduf abdominalis

(Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)

Hawaiian Sergeant, Mamo

Likely Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Central Pacific Ocean: Hawaiian Islands.

Size: 10 inches (25 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits protected coastal bays and offshore reefs at depths between 3 to about 170 feet (1 – 50 m) and usually seen in small groups, and feeds on floating algae, zooplankton and benthic crustaceans.

General Husbandry: Even though somewhat attractive, its rarely collected for the trade because of its size and as with all in this genus, not a good community fish in most home aquariums. Has a two-tone body with the belly area blue-green and white above, and having four vertical black bands.

Its best housed with dottybacks, large angelfishes and surgeonfishes, and triggerfishes.

As to diet, a meaty diet, e.g., live fortified brine shrimp and/or finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc, and plant material, e.g., flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina should be offered several times daily.

Taxonomy:

    Order: Perciformes

    Suborder: Labroidei

    Family: Pomacentridae

    Subfamily: Pomacentrinae

    Genus: Abudefduf

FYI: Best maintained in small groups and not with peaceful tankmates.

Unsuitable for most home aquariums.

Shown here basically for identification purposes.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Feisty/belligerent

Diet: Omnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons

Temperature Range: 68 - 82°F (20 – 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5

 Abudefduf abdominalis (Hawaiian Sergeant, Mamo)
Photo © John Randall
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