Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea to New Caledonia, north to Southern Japan, and south to southeastern Australia.
Size: 35 inches (90 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits coastal lagoons, fringing reefs, reef channels, reef faces and outer reef slopes, yet most common in silty areas, at depths between 3 – 150 feet (1 – 45 m) and feeds on shrimp, crabs, worms and various other benthic invertebrates and small fishes.
General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade, and quite attractive as a juvenile, however undergoes a dramatic color and physical size transformations as it grows into adulthood, usually resulting in a rather drab looking huge specimen!
The juvenile body has alternating black and white horizontal bands from above the eye and ending on the large tail fin, with its belly area usually white. Adults are greyish with numerous small tan/blackish spots.
Very hardy, and quite attractive when small, however, grows fast and will outgrow most hobbyist aquariums quite rapidly!
Requires a very large fish-only aquarium with wide-open swimming areas. As to diet, newcomers are often easy to get feeding as they accept most aquarium foods, e.g., a wide variety of frozen and fresh meaty foodstuffs (chopped squid, fish flesh, scallops, shrimp, clam, etc.) and should be offered several times daily. Any ornamental crustaceans and small fish in the aquarium will also be consumed.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Haemulidae
Genus: Diagramma
FYI: Usually seen as juveniles in the trade, however, they grow fast and outgrow most hobbyist aquariums.
Do not house with aggressive feeders.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: No
Fish Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful or non-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 300 gallons
Temperature Range: 70 - 82°F (21 – 28°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
