Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: South China Sea to the Gilbert Islands, north to Southern Japan, and south to New Caledonia.
Size: 14 inches - 35 cm
Natural Environment: Inhabits sandy bottom areas on coral reefs and usually found at depths between 6 - 100 feet (2 - 30 m) where it feeds upon small fishes and benthic invertebrates.
General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade, and quite attractive as a juvenile having bluish body with two lengthwise yellow bands, with the upper thinner than the lower. Pretty as a juvenile, but colorless as an adult.
Best maintained in well-established fish-only or reef aquariums with wide-open swimming areas, a somewhat deep sand bed where it's mostly exposed, and preferably containing some rocky crevices for hiding when feeling threatened. Do not house with aggressive tankmates
As to diet, requires finely chopped meaty foods such as fish flesh, shrimp, clams, mysis, scallops, earthworms and/or frozen carnivore foods, and fed three times daily.
May be difficult to feed in the early days in the aquarium and if so, live enriched adult brine shrimp or small glass/grass shrimp should be offered several times daily.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Nemipteridae
Genus: Pentapodus
FYI: Will eat smaller fishes, snails, ornamental shrimp, fanworms/featherdusters, crabs and star fishes/brittle stars.
One per aquarium.
Requires a covered aquarium, as they are excellent jumpers.
Will sift the most upper edge of the sand in search of eatable prey.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: With caution
Invertebrate Safe: No
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful and too large to be eaten
Minimum Tank Size: 150 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.025
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
