Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda, southern Florida, and the Caribbean south to Venezuela.
Size: 6 inches (16 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits deep reef walls and slopes at depths between 65 to about 300 feet (20 – 180 m) and found in small shoals where it feeds mainly on planktonic crustaceans (copepods, mysis, and shrimp larvae), fish eggs, and algae.
General Husbandry: An attractive species, with juveniles having a yellow upper body, with the lower half a silvery blue and a black spot at the upper base of the pectoral fins. Adults have olive green above the body midline, with silvery grey below, hence the common name.
Quite hardy, peaceful, and better maintained in small groups of at least five to seven members. This species differs with others in this genus as it stays near the substrate. Nevertheless, it should be given wide-open swimming areas, as they are open water swimmers, yet not always in the upper aquarium areas, and should be maintained with non-aggressive tankmates. 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, with larger aquariums, e.g., 75 gallons and above, it provides far more openness for small shoals to ‘peacefully’ coexist. Its also one of the largest in its genus.
Adults tend to be quarrelsome with each other.
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: 75 gallons
Temperature Range: 70 - 82°F (21 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
