Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indian Ocean: Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Size: 9 inches (23 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow back reef areas rich in coral growths at depths of 10 to 60 feet (3 – 20 m) and feeds on soft and stony corals, various benthic invertebrates and minor amounts of algae.
General Husbandry: Quite attractive with a bright yellow body having narrow vertical red lines, a greyish patch behind the eyes, and yellow dorsal, anal, pelvic and tail fins.
Best maintained in larger peaceful fish-only aquariums, especially those with lots of open swimming space, lots live rock hiding places and areas to browse and having some micro and macroalgae growths. As to diet, a meaty diet of live fortified brine shrimp, black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus), and/or various frozen meaty foods such as mysis should be offered several times daily. Flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina and/or Nori should also be offered.
Juveniles are usually easy to get feeding, however, adults are often difficult. Should there be a problem; 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: 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.
Will eat most hard and soft corals, clams and tubeworms, however, may be kept with Sinularia soft corals.
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: 125 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 28°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
