Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Western Indian Ocean: Maldives southward to South Africa, and also reported from the Andaman Sea.
Size: 4 inches (10 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits burrows in coral reefs and lagoons with course sandy bottoms and usually found at depths between 15 – 130 feet (5 – 40 m) where it feeds on benthic invertebrates and zooplankton.
General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade, and having a white body with five wide orange bands and several orange spots on the tail.
Best maintained in well-established fish-only or reef aquariums with wide-open course grained (2 - 4 mm) deep sandy areas along with some small rubble.
Should not be housed with aggressive or fin-nipping fishes, such as groupers, dottybacks, triggerfishes or angelfishes, as this is a shy species that prefers to live in a burrow with its head protruding while watching for its next meal to come close enough to dart outwards and capture.
As to diet, should there not be enough naturally found live food to consume, target feeding is necessary, and if so, should be fed a diet of finely chopped fresh or frozen meaty foods, e.g., krill, marine fish flesh, mysis, shrimp, scallops, squid, and clams and be fed twice daily. Even though basically a meat eater, some algae containing foods should be included in its diet and overall, should be fed twice daily.
Small sinking enriched shrimp pellets are also an excellent way of keeping them well fed.
If difficult to get feeding, try live adult fortified brine shrimp and black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus).
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Gobioidei
Family: Gobiidae
Genus: Amblyeleotris
FYI: May jump out of uncovered aquariums.
In the wild, lives in burrows with the shrimp Alpheus randalli.
One per aquarium unless a mated pair.
Experience Level: Beginner
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
