Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Not Suitable for Fish-Only Tank
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Durban, South Africa, then from Mauritius to Indonesia, north to Southern Japan, and south to Australia.
Size: 30 inches (75 cm)
Natural Environment: Burrows into sandy areas in lagoons and on seaward reefs at depths to about 3 to 80 feet (1 – 20 m) and basically feeds on small fishes and crustaceans in evening hours.
General Husbandry: Has whitish cream body with saddle-like dark brown bands and gold marbling on the snout and head. Not collected for the trade.
Taxonomy:
Order: Anguilliformes
Suborder: Congroidei
Family: Ophichthidae
Subfamily: Ophichthinae
Genus: Ophichthus
FYI: Those in this genus are termed ‘Snake Eels’ and are nasty looking and quite secretive, residing buried in the sand or mud with only their head showing while awaiting a tasty meal to come close enough to be captured and eaten. They require at a minimum, very deep fine sandbeds, e.g., 6 – 10 inches (15 – 25 cm), more if a large species, and tankmates large enough not to be eaten. Basically unsuitable for the average home reef or fish-only aquarium as they require live foods and an environment tuned to their needs, e.g., far more area than what would be given a moray eel two to three times their size, and containing little decor.
Shown here for identification only.
