Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: Florida, Bermuda, and various islands in the Caribbean, and south to southern Brazil.
Size: 4 inches (10 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits steep reef faces and slopes at depths between 65 to about 500 feet (20 – 150 m) and often found in small groups of ten, where it feeds mainly on planktonic crustaceans (copepods, mysis, and shrimp larvae), fish eggs, and algae.
General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade and having a greyish body, yellow tail, and yellow on the aft dorsal and anal fins.
Quite hardy, peaceful, and better maintained in small groups of at least five to seven members. Should be given wide-open swimming areas, yet an aquarium having caves and ledges to take shelter. This is also a low light/deep water species, therefore a dimly lit aquarium would suit this species much more than a brightly lit reef aquarium.
As to diet, will eat most regular aquarium foods, 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 and should be offered several times daily.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Labroidei
Family: Pomacentridae
Subfamily: Chrominae
Genus: Chromis
FYI: Even though quite passive and will ignore other fish in the aquarium, larger aquariums, e.g., 50 gallons and above for this species provide far more openness for small shoals to ‘peacefully’ coexist.
If maintained in groups of less than mentioned above, they tend to be over dominate of each other and may force some members into hiding. The bigger the group, the less intergroup picking on each other exists.
Experience Level: Beginner
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Zooplanktivore/Omnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: Yes
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons
Temperature Range: 70 - 82°F (21 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
