Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Lord Howe Island and southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales.
Size: 5 inches (14 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits rocky and coral reefs at depths between 30 to about 150 feet (10 – 45 m) and usually found singly or in pairs found inhabiting only the Heteractis crispa anemone where it feeds mainly on planktonic crustaceans (copepods, mysis, and shrimp larvae), and only somewhat on algae.
General Husbandry: Rarely available in the trade, with adults having a blackish brown body with three white vertical body bands, with the center band very wide, and the third on the caudal peduncle.
Best maintained in aquaria having live rock, hiding places, macroalgae, and semi-aggressive tankmates.
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 anemone is only Heteractis crispa.
If maintained with a hosting anemone, aquarium size should be >50 gallons.
Best maintained at lower than normal hobbyist aquarium temperatures – see below.
Maintain only as a single specimen, or as a mated pair.
Do not house with other species in this family or with peaceful tankmates. Can be housed without a hosting anemone.
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 Saddleback 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
