Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-Pacific Ocean: Red Sea to Hawaii, Marquesan and Pitcairn Islands, north to Southern Japan, and south to Lord Howe and Rapa Islands
Size: 17 inches (43 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoon patch reefs and shallow sandy slopes at depths between 3 - 100 feet (1 – 30 m) in small groups, then venturing out mainly during evening hours to feed on shrimp, crabs, worms, snails, bivalves, and small fishes.
General Husbandry: Rarely ever seen in the trade, and usually more a public aquarium species. Has a streamlined silvery body with a yellow horizontal band containing a black patch midway to the tail.
Best maintained in large fish-only aquariums with wide-open swimming and unencumbered substrate areas. As to diet, will learn to take food during the daytime, and will consume a wide variety of frozen and fresh meaty foodstuffs (chopped squid, scallops, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc.), including any ornamental crustaceans and small fishes in the aquarium, and should be fed at least several times daily.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Mullidae
Genus: Mulloidichthys
FYI: Will decimate aquarium benthic invertebrate population in a very short period of time.
Can jump out of uncovered aquariums.
May need deworming before being placed in an aquarium.
Basically unsuitable for most hobbyist aquariums.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: No
Fish Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful or non-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 180 gallons
Temperature Range: 70 - 79°F (21 – 26°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
