Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Eastern Atlantic Ocean: Southern Morocco to Angola, including Cape Verde.
Size: 16 inches (40 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits mouths of rivers and lagoons and usually found at depths between 15 - 130 feet (5 - 40 m) where it feeds mainly on algal film covering the sand and rocks and also detritus.
General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade having a laterally compressed body and a small mouth, such as angelfishes and butterflyfishes and having a greyish body with yellow surrounding the caudal peduncle spine area.
Can be maintained in reef or fish-only aquariums having wide-open swimming areas and turbulent, well-oxygenated water flow.
Requires a varied vegetable diet, including fresh macroalgae, Spirulina, zucchini, broccoli, dried seaweed (Nori), and enriched vegetable flakes, and requires two or three feedings per day. Will browse on filamentous and microalgae.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Acanthuroidei
Family: Acanthuridae
Genus: Acanthurus
FYI: One per tank.
Has a sharp forward pointing spine on each side of the caudal peduncle, which folds into a groove. Erected when excited. Handle with care!
Can be quite aggressive towards others in the family.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Herbivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: Yes
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Moderately aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 350 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.025
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
