Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Central Pacific Ocean: Samoa and Tonga.
Size: 5 inches (12 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits coral rich areas in lagoons and seaward reefs and usually found at depths between 6 – 130 feet (2 – 40 m) where it feeds mainly on small benthic invertebrates.
General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade with males and females having a frontal bluish purple and with the aft body golden yellow, and juveniles greyish white with several black bands from the snout to the caudal peduncle.
Best maintained in fish-only aquariums having a fine sand bed, (0.5 – 2.0 mm) and at least 4 inches deep, along with several rocky crevices to hunt and also open swimming areas. Those in this genus will not only rearrange bottom dwelling corals in its search for tasty bottom dwelling invertebrates, as it grows into adulthood may also eat snails, tubeworms, crabs, and shrimp.
It will also quickly burrow into the sand bed if frightened or for sleeping at night. This diving into the sand bed will cause clouds of sand particles to be dispensed into the water, and would cause various corals harm, therefore, those in this genus, depending upon their size, are not often recommended for reef aquariums.
Requires a meaty diet, including fortified brine shrimp, mysis, and other meaty type marine-based frozen or fresh foods, and should be fed twice daily.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Labroidei
Family: Labridae
Genus: Halichoeres
FYI: Upon first entering the aquarium may stay buried for days. Simply await its decision when to emerge. Once established, it will go to sleep under the sand and arise the next morning at almost the exact same time every day!
Generally peaceful as a juvenile, yet as it grows into adulthood, may pick on passive smaller tankmates.
The aquarium should have small pieces of rocks for the wrasse to 'play' with in its daily search for prey.
Can greatly stir bottom sandbeds creating large clouds of sand being dispensed in many directions.
One male per aquarium.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: With caution
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful, yet larger
Minimum Tank Size: 60 gallons
Temperature Range: 74 - 82°F (23 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
