Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Western Pacific Ocean: Maldives to Samoa, north to Southern Japan, and south to New Caledonia.
Size: 10 inches (25 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits back reefs, reef faces, and fore-reef slopes rich in coral growths at depths between 3 – 130 feet (1 – 40 m) and feeds mainly on stony corals.
General Husbandry: Very uncommon in the trade as it is in the wild! Has a white body with a black narrow band around the mouth, white lips, black eye band, black mid body band which easily identifies this species as it begins just in front of the dorsal, and black on aft body. There’s a yellow dorsal and caudal fin, black pelvic fins, and a black spot on each scale on the white area between the mid body band and aft black bands.
Best maintained in larger peaceful fish-only aquariums, especially those with lots of open swimming space, and having lots of live rock to browse. As to diet, difficult to get feeding, therefore, beginning with live enriched brine shrimp and live black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus) should first be tried and offered several times daily. Once feeding regularly various frozen meaty foods such as mysis and enriched brine shrimp can be offered.
Should there be a problem getting this species to feed, small human consumption clams/black mussels purchased in local grocery stores and placed on the half-shell in the aquarium may help entice it to begin feeding.
Not safe with others its genus.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Chaetodontidae
Genus: Heniochus
FYI: Pressing some soft foods into openings/crevices on a piece of old dead coral skeleton can sometimes encourage finicky eaters to begin feeding.
Experience Level: Professional
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: No
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful or non-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 125 gallons
Temperature Range: 74 - 82°F (23 – 28°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
