Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.
Size: 4 inches (12 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits fringing reefs, reef faces, and surge channels lagoons and outer reefs at depths between 6 to about 30 feet (2 – 10 m) and usually found inhabiting various anemones where it feeds mainly on planktonic crustaceans (copepods, mysis, and shrimp larvae), and algae.
General Husbandry: Rarely available in the trade with adults having a light brown orange body with a white teardrop area on the head, and a white vertical band just aft of the head.
Best maintained in aquaria having live rock, hiding places, macroalgae, peaceful tankmates, and with or without a hosting anemone.
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 are: Heteractis crispa, Heteractis magnifica and Stichodactyla mertensii.
If maintained with a hosting anemone, aquarium size should be >50 gallons.
Does well in aquariums 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 Skunk Complex.
Captive bred specimens available and are far hardier than wild caught specimens.
Does not acclimate well in aquariums, and may need live foods to get it feeding.
Susceptible to Brooklynella.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Omnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Temperature Range: 74 - 82°F (23 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
