Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Arabian Gulf east to Fiji, north to Japan, south to the Maldives and the Great Barrier Reef.
Size: 5 inches (14 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits reef faces and reef slopes at depths between 3 to about 200 feet (1 – 60 m) and usually found in small groups inhabiting various anemones where it feeds mainly on planktonic crustaceans (copepods, mysis, and shrimp larvae), and algae.
General Husbandry: Very common in the trade, with this quite hardy species usually having a black head and body with a white snout, two white vertical body bands, and white tail. Nevertheless, many other color forms exist depending upon collections areas.
Best maintained in aquaria having live rock, hiding places, macroalgae, semi-aggressive tankmates, and a hosting anemone.
As to diet, will eat most regular aquarium foods, e.g., live fortified brine shrimp and/or finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc., and plant material, e.g., flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina and should be offered once or twice daily.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Labroidei
Family: Pomacentridae
Subfamily: Amphiprioninae
Genus: Amphiprion
FYI: In the wild, its hosting anemones are: Cryptodendrum adhaesivum, Entacmaea quadricolor, Heteractis auora, Heteractis crispa, Heteractis magnifica, Heteractis malu, Macrodacltyla doreensis, Stichodactyla gigantea, Stichodactyla haddoni and Stichodactyla mertensii.
If maintained with a hosting anemone, aquarium size should be >50 gallons.
Often mislabeled as the Sebae Anemonefish, A. sebae, as its quite similar.
Maintain only as a single specimen, or as a mated pair.
Do not house with other species in this family or with peaceful tankmates. Will eat ornamental shrimp. Should be housed with one of the hosting anemones listed above.
Females are larger than males.
If the female is removed, the male will change sex and one of the juveniles will become the new functioning male.
A member of the Clarkii Complex.
Captive bred specimens available and are far hardier than wild caught specimens.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Omnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Semi-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Temperature Range: 74 - 82°F (23 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
