Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Christmas Island in Eastern Indian Ocean; Line, Phoenix, and Loyalty Islands in Central Pacific Ocean and also New Caledonia and Palau.
Size: 2 inches (5 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits outer reef slopes and usually found in large shoals at depths between 3 to about 100 feet (1 – 30 m) where it feeds mainly on zooplankton.
General Husbandry: Occasionally available in the trade, and quite attractive having a slender pinkish red body.
Best maintained in aquaria with some rocky caves and strong water movement, and with large unencumbered areas for schooling in small groups. Tankmates should be peaceful.
As to diet, will eat most regular aquarium foods, e.g., finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc., and should be offered at least twice daily and dispensed upstream so water currents carry food to their location.
Sometimes difficult to get feeding, and if so, fortified live adult brine shrimp may be necessary to get them feeding.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Serranidae
Subfamily: Anthiinae
Genus: Luzonichthys
FYI: Best maintained in small groups of five or more.
Somewhat aggressive fishes will keep these somewhat shy fishes in hiding, where they may starve to death.
Experience Level: Beginner
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: Yes
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 78°F (22 – 26°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
