Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific: Southern Japan, southeast to the Solomon Islands and southwest to Australia.
Size: 10 inches (25 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits coral rich growth areas in lagoons, and also channels and outer reef slopes at depths of 10 to 130 feet (3 – 40 m) and feeds primarily on sponges and tunicates.
General Husbandry: Both the juvenile and adult are quite pretty, with the juvenile having a dark bluish body with several vertical white and pale blue bands. As for the adult, it has an overall bright yellow to orange body, lower face, dorsal and tail fin. Anal fin is a deep blue edged with bright blue, as are the pelvic fins. There are two dark blue arched-shaped bands on the body, with the frontal encompassing the top of the head and narrowing towards the lower breast area, and the second ban arching upwards from the lower rear of the body and peaking at the top edge of the body. Both are edged in light blue!
When first introduced into the aquarium, preferably a well-established fish-only aquarium with lots of live rock and cave areas, adults or juveniles should be offered numerous daily feedings so as to quickly acclimate it to its surroundings. Like many others in this genus, their captive diet should consist of a wide variety of frozen foods including fortified brine shrimp, mysis, and especially those containing sponge matter/angelfish food preparations and continued to be offered at least several times daily after its acclimated to its surroundings. Furthermore, flake foods, and especially those containing Spirulina and/or Nori should be also offered, along with fresh broccoli and macroalgae, as ‘greens’ make up a portion of this species diet, especially the juveniles.
Depending upon tankmates, juveniles and adults are often quite shy, even after acclimation and may frequently hide in caves and crevices. But as time passes, they become more outgoing, begin to establish their territory and spend more time in the open. As for adults, they are considered almost as feisty as those in the Holacanthus genus, yet that somewhat depends on aquarium size and tankmates, but nevertheless, its preferable it is the last angelfish to be added to the aquarium.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Pomacanthidae
Genus: Pomacanthus
FYI: Keeping more than one genus of angelfishes in the same aquarium is possible, yet depends upon several aspects. The following suggested circumstances are just that, possibilities that when heeded and adjusted to actual aquarium conditions ‘may’ make multiple angelfish collections feasible.
Aquarium size – the larger the better.
Species from the same genus should not be in the same aquarium.
The smallest and most docile genus species should be the first introduced with the largest and most malicious the last to be added.
Do not place similar coloration species in the same aquarium.
Those already in the aquarium should be well fed before adding a newcomer.
Have sufficient hiding places/rocky caves.
Do not overfeed meaty foods, especially juveniles, as it may lead to a fatty deposit around the liver that could stop production of vitamin A. This could cause blindness, often referred to as nutritional blindness.
Keep in mind all angels have cheekspines at the edge of their gill cover; therefore use caution when handling and also avoid using a net to capture it, as it may become stuck or tangled in the net and become damaged when removed.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Omnivore
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only and Reef Aquariums (See Below)
Reef Safe: Juveniles – Yes/Adults - No - will nip clam mantles, large and small polyped stony (LPS/SPS) corals, anemones, and also some soft corals and tubeworms.
Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons
Temperature Range: 74 - 82°F (23 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
