Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Christmas Island and Western Australia to Southern Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, New Guinea, and Solomon Islands.
Size: 5 inches (14 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoons and outer reefs at depths between 10 to about 80 feet (3 – 25 m) and usually found inhabiting various anemones where it feeds mainly on planktonic crustaceans (copepods, mysis, and shrimp larvae), and algae.
General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade, peaceful, hardy and an excellent tankmate for most peaceful aquariums. Has a tannish orange body with a somewhat wide white stripe from the top of the head to the rear of the dorsal fin.
Best maintained in aquaria having live rock, hiding places, macroalgae, peaceful tankmates, and with or without a hosting anemone. And should a hosting anemone be offered, this species becomes somewhat aggressive to species in other families, as it is protecting its home.
As to diet, will eat most regular aquarium foods, e.g., live fortified brine shrimp and/or finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc., and plant material, e.g., flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina and should be offered once or twice daily.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Labroidei
Family: Pomacentridae
Subfamily: Amphiprioninae
Genus: Amphiprion
FYI: In the wild, its hosting anemones are: Heteractis crispa and Stichodactyla mertensii.
Best maintained with a hosting anemone as it’s quite shy, and as a mated pair.
If maintained with a hosting anemone, aquarium size should be >50 gallons.
Females are larger than males.
If the female is removed, the male will change sex and one of the juveniles will become the new functioning male.
Very similar to A. akallopisos and A. perideraion.
A member of the Skunk Complex.
Captive bred specimens available and are far hardier than wild caught specimens.
Experience Level: Beginner
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Omnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Temperature Range: 74 - 82°F (23 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
