Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Western Indian Ocean: Somalia south to Natal South Africa and east to Madagascar.
Size: 6 inches (15 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits coral and rocky reefs at depths of 25 – 650 feet (8 – 200 m) and usually found at depths of about 130 feet (40 m). Feeds on coral polyps, worms, crustaceans, and algae.
General Husbandry: Rarely collected for the trade, mostly because of limited geographical and depth access, yet quite nice looking, hardy and fairly easy to maintain. Has a whitish body covered in small brown spots, with the aft body black, a vertical black eye band, yellow tail, and blackish dorsal and anal fins edged in white.
Best maintained in larger peaceful fish-only aquariums, especially those with lots of open swimming space, live rock hiding places, and having micro and macroalgae growths. As to diet, a meaty diet of live fortified brine shrimp and/or black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus) is a good beginning. Once feeding regularly, various frozen meaty foods such as mysis, can be offered several times daily. Since its known to also injest algae in the wild, flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina and/or Nori should also be occasionally offered.
Should there be a problem getting this species to feed, small human consumption clams/black mussels purchased in local grocery stores and placed on the half-shell in the aquarium may help entice it to begin feeding. Over time, frozen foods like mysis and brine shrimp may be more readily accepted.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Chaetodontidae
Genus: Chaetodon
FYI: Should not be maintained with others in the same genus or with others from other butterflyfish genera.
Juveniles acclimate more easily to aquarium life than do adults.
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: Omnivore
Coral Safe: No
Invertebrate Safe: No
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful or non-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 28°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
