Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-Pacific Ocean: Widespread – Cocos-Keeling east to Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Tuamotu Islands, north to Southern Japan, and south to New South Wales, Australia, and Rapa Island.
Size: 9 inches (23 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoon patch reefs, reef flats, fringing reefs, and drop-offs at depths of 3 – 100 feet (1 – 30 m) and feeds on filamentous algae, stony corals, sponges, tunicates, and other benthic invertebrates.
General Husbandry: One of the most attractive species in this family/genus, having a yellowish-grey body with a large black, white edged patch on the upper aft of the body, wavy horizontal blue lines on the mid body, with the throat and pelvic fins bright yellow. Adults have a long trailing filament on the rear upper edge of the dorsal fin. There’s also some orange on the peduncle and trailing edge of the dorsal.
A very hardy species, and 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, this species is said to be an excellent browser of filamentous algae, therefore flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina and/or Nori should be offered, as should a meaty diet of live fortified brine shrimp, black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus), and/or various frozen meaty foods such as mysis, and overall be offered several times daily.
Even though known for feeding immediately upon entering the aquarium, 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 unless a mated pair.
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: Beginner
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: 125 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 28°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
