Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Not Suitable for Fish-Only Tank
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea and East Africa to Hawaiian, Line, Marquesan, and Ducie Islands, north to Southern Japan, and south to Lord Howe and Rapa Islands, New Zealand.
Size: 14 inches (35 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits sandy and coral rubble substrates in lagoons and patch reefs and is usually found at depths between about 15 to 150 feet (5 – 45 m), and basically feeds on small fishes and crustaceans.
General Husbandry: Has a tannish body with a orange red to green stripe down the length of the body along with several darker spots. Not collected for the trade.
Taxonomy:
Order: Aulopiformes
Suborder: Alepisauroidei
Family: Synodontidae
Subfamily: Synodontinae
Genus: Synodus
FYI: Those in this family are termed ‘Lizardfishes’ and are quick moving and voracious predators! Most reside either buried in the sand with only their head showing, or sitting on some form of the substrate waiting for a tasty meal to come close enough to be captured and eaten.
Highly territorial.
Tankmates must be large enough not to be eaten.
Basically unsuitable for the average home aquarium as they require live foods, e.g., live grass shrimp/small fishes.
Shown here for identification only.
Best displayed in ‘special species’ type aquariums/public aquarium displays.
