Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indian Ocean: Red Sea, along Yemen and Oman, and the Horn of Africa.
Size: 7 inches (17 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits reef faces and fore-reef slopes rich in stony coral growth at depths between 25 – 250 feet (7 – 75 m) and feeds on coral polyps/sessile invertebrates.
General Husbandry: Quite nice looking, yet rarely collected. Has a whitish-greyish body, black eye band, and yellow dorsal, anal, and tail fins.
There is very little aquarium husbandry information available for this species, however, it should no doubt receive similar treatment as others in this genus, e.g., be housed in larger peaceful fish-only aquariums, especially those with lots of open swimming space, and live rock hiding places. 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.
Nevertheless, past history shows this is a difficult species to get feeding in captivity, therefore recommend small human consumption clams/black mussels purchased in local grocery stores and placed on the half-shell in the aquarium, which 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
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: Professional
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Corallivore
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: 70 - 77°F (21 – 25°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
