Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: Caribbean, Florida, and Gulf of Mexico.
Size: 8 inches (20 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits reef faces and fore-reef slopes rich in stony coral growth at depths between 10 – 300 feet (3 – 90 m) and feeds on hard corals, worms, and crustaceans.
General Husbandry: Quite attractive, having a silvery body, black eye band, and yellow pelvic, dorsal, anal and tail fins. Juveniles have a black spot on the dorsal and anal fins.
Sometimes a challenging feeder, and best maintained 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.
Should this species be difficult to get feeding, 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. The above-mentioned use of black worms is also one of the most preferred foodstuffs by almost all butterflyfish! Over time, frozen foods like mysis and brine shrimp may be more readily accepted.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Chaetodontidae
Genus: Chaetodon
FYI: Can be maintained with others in the same genus.
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: 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: 72 - 81°F (22 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
