Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Palau, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Size: 3 inches (8 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits coral rock and rubble areas on deep steep drop-offs and is usually found between depths of 130 to 300 feet (40 – 90 m) where it feeds on small worms and crustaceans/zooplankton.
General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade and having a frontal body that is light brown, with the aft body and tail a pale yellow.
Best maintained in a dimly lit fish-only aquarium having some rocky hiding places/crevices to take shelter, as this species is secretive, especially upon first entering the aquarium. Since it comes from deep waters, will hide most of the time in the aquarium’s darker areas, yet may become bolder and be more outgoing as time passes. Its tankmates should be slightly larger and moderately aggressive. Will annoy smaller fishes.
As to diet, products such as marine fish and crustacean flesh, clams, and other marine meaty foods should make up the majority of their diet. Therefore a meaty diet such as enriched chopped fresh fish or shrimp flesh, and/or frozen carnivore foods should be fed once daily.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Pseudochromidae
Subfamily: Pseudochrominae
Genus: Pseudochromis
FYI: Since they are extremely fast moving and secretive, if having to remove it from a reef aquarium with many hiding areas, it would be a major task!
One 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: Larger/moderately aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 30+ gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 81°F (22 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
