Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-Pacific Ocean: Thailand and Malaysia to Solomon Islands, north to Ryukyu and Bonin Islands, south to northwestern Australia and Great Barrier Reef.
Size: 5.5 inches (14 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits coastal reefs with sparse coral growth and found over rubble areas at a depth of 10 to 200 feet (3 – 60 m) and mainly feeds on crustaceans found on sponges and may also feed on zooplankton.
General Husbandry: This hardy and quite pretty aquarium fish has a silvery-white body with several wide yellowish orange vertical bands and a white edged black eyespot on the aft dorsal fin. Due to its cooler water requirements, is rarely seen in the trade.
Even though well-suited for fish-only community aquariums, it basically comes from cooler water than most fish-only aquariums are maintained at, e.g., mid to high 70’s and low 80’s. Low to mid 70 degree water is preferrable for this species.
As do others in its genus, it adapts quite easily to aquarium foods, and a meaty diet of live fortified brine shrimp, black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus), red worms (genus Tubifex) and/or frozen meaty foods such as mysis are usually eagerly accepted and should be offered several times daily. Small human consumption clams/black mussels purchased in local grocery stores and placed on the half-shell in the aquarium is another eagerly accepted foodstuff.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Chaetodontidae
Genus: Coradion
FYI: Not trustworthy in reef aquariums as it is known to pick on SPS and LPS corals and some soft corals. Will also consume small decorative tubeworms and other useful small worms.
Preferably maintained without others in the same genus, except as a male-female pair, as it can become quite territorial and battle others for territorial rights.
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: Intermediate
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: No
Invertebrate Safe: No
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium.
Tankmates: Peaceful or non-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons
Temperature Range: 70 - 75°F (21 – 24°C).
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
