Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea.
Size: 8 inches (20 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow protected coral rich lagoons and usually found at depths between 10 – 50 feet (3– 15 m) where it feeds on benthic hard-shelled invertebrate.
General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade having a drab mottled blackish body with usually three white spots on the upper body just below the dorsal.
Best maintained in fish-only aquariums, which should provide hiding places and lots of open swimming area. If wanting an aquarium with moderately aggressive tankmates, this species should be the first to be placed into the aquarium. Should the aquarium have peaceful species, this fish should be the last to be added.
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 and be enriched and chopped into fine pieces and fed until it no longer consumes the food, then not fed again for two to three days.
May be difficult to feed in the early days in the aquarium and if so, (if small live marine fish are not available) live glass/grass shrimp, small crabs, e.g., fiddler crabs and/or live guppies/mollies may be needed to sustain the fish.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Labroidei
Family: Labridae
Genus: Cheilinus
FYI:
FYI: Will eat smaller fishes and also snails, tubeworms, ornamental shrimps, crabs, brittle stars, sea stars and urchins.
Usually sleep in caves and crevices.
Hardy species. One per aquarium
Will disturb sandbeds by blowing jets of water into it to find buried prey.
A consumer of large amounts of food at one time and can go days without feeding again.
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: Moderately aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 150 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 80°F (22 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
