Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: East Africa to the Line, Marquesas, and Society Islands, north to Southern Japan and south to Lord Howe Island.
Size: 6 inches (15 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoons and seaward reefs where it sets up cleaning stations usually near large overhangs or caves near reef edges, and usually found at depths between 6 – 65 feet (2 – 20 m) where it cleans fishes of skin parasites and will also eat fish scales/ and fish mucus.
General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade with the males having a somewhat bluish head, black mid-body, and sometimes yellow aft body. Females tend to be greyish blue overall with a couple of black horizontal bands from the snout to central body, and possibility some yellow on the tail.
Usually does not fare well in aquariums, reef or fish-only, unless there is a large population of fishes willing to be cleaned. May accept some frozen meaty foodstuffs, such as adult brine shrimp and/or fortified adult live brine shrimp.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Labroidei
Family: Labridae
Genus: Labroides
FYI: An aggressive cleaner and will annoy tankmates.
Best left in the wild!
May jump out of uncovered aquariums.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Bothersome
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: With caution
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Temperature Range: 74 - 82°F (23 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
