Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Borneo, Philippines, north to Southern Japan, and south to northwestern Australia and Samoa and Tonga.
Size: 12 inches (30 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits coastal mud and sand flats and slopes, and often seen in seagrass beds/estuaries and usually found at depths between 6 to 65 feet (2 - 20 m) where it feeds on benthic invertebrate.
General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade, and having a greyish white body with light brown lengthwise lines with the base of the pectoral fins quite dark. Lacks pelvic fins, but uses the pectoral fins for movement.
Best maintained in fish-only aquariums with wide-open swimming areas, peaceful tankmates, and tankmates too large to be eaten. Provide a large cave to hide in when needed.
Should not be housed with aggressive or fin-nipping fishes, such as groupers, dottybacks, triggerfishes or angelfishes, as this is a slow moving species.
Requires a varied diet, i.e., chunky chopped fish or shrimp flesh, krill, clams, squid, and/or carnivore frozen foods, along with some vegetable matter. Leave the hard shells on shrimp that are fed, as this may help wear down its teeth. Should have numerous daily feedings.
Taxonomy:
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Suborder: Tetraodontoidei
Family: Tetraodontidae
Subfamily: Tetraodontinae
Genus: Arothron
FYI: Will eat smaller fishes, ornamental shrimp, crabs, snails, urchins, sea stars, sponges, clams including tridacnid clams, and tubeworms.
Will nip the fins of slow moving tankmates.
May graze upon coralline algae and eat stony corals.
When threatened, will puff up by taking in air and water and become balloon-like to deter predators.
The bodies of Pufferfish are covered in a toxic mucus (tetrodotoxin), a powerful poison to ward off would-be predators.
If the skin or flesh is consumed by humans, it can be fatal.
Probably will need to be dewormed and have its teeth filed to prevent overgrowth.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: No
Fish Safe: No
Invertebrate Safe: No
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful, and larger
Minimum Tank Size: 150 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
