Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Maldives to South Africa.
Size: 4 inches (10 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits outer reef slopes and usually found in large shoals at depths between 15 to about 100 feet (5 – 30 m) where it feeds mainly on zooplankton.
General Husbandry: Occasionally available in the trade and quite attractive, with females having various shades of pink, orange and yellow and males having a somewhat purplish head with yellow on the aft upper body and violet in the upper dorsal fin.
Best maintained in aquaria with some rocky caves and strong water movement, and with large unencumbered areas for schooling in small groups, which often would be the middle of the aquarium. 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: Nemanthias
FYI: Best maintained in small groups, e.g., one male and five to eight females.
The male should be the last to be introduced into the aquarium.
May jump out of uncovered aquariums.
Somewhat aggressive towards other species in the family.
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 - 80°F (22 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
