Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Southwest Atlantic Ocean: Endemic to Brazil.
Size: 3 inches (6 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits small caves and areas under ledges where is often found swimming upside down on coral and rocky coastal reefs as well as oceanic islands. Usually found at depths from 10 to 65 feet (3 - 20 m) where it feeds on zooplankton.
General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade and quite attractive with the front half of the body a bright purple, and the remaining body yellow.
Can be maintained in reef or fish-only aquariums having many rocky hiding places/crevices to investigate or take shelter when needing to do so, as this species is shy and quite secretive. Will defend its hiding place from all on-comers!
May continue to mostly hide, yet will leave to feed. Even then, due to its shyness, may starve to death if the aquarium has aggressive tankmates. Will never become a more outgoing/social tankmate, i.e., swimming in the open with other tankmates, as it will always stay close to its hiding area. Will annoy small peaceful tankmates.
As to diet, products such as marine fish and crustacean flesh, clams, and other marine meaty foods/freeze-dried foods should be enriched, finely chopped and be fed two to three times daily. Flake foods are also accepted.
Adult enriched live brine shrimp and/or black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus) will also be greedily accepted.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Grammatidae
Genus: Gramma
FYI: Can be kept in small groups in larger aquaria (over 100 gallons), yet in small aquariums it may be best to maintain only one.
Not possible to distinguish males from females; however, the male is generally larger than the female.
Can jump out of uncovered aquariums.
May pick on/damage small shrimps.
Experience Level: Beginner
Temperament: Feisty
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: 20+ gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 81°F (22 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
