Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-Pacific Ocean: East Africa to the Hawaiian and Pitcairn Islands, north to Mariana Island, and south to New Caledonia.
Size: 3 inches (7 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits clear water lagoons and seaward reefs at depths between 10 to about 200 feet (3 – 60 m) and found in small shoals and caves where it feeds mainly on planktonic crustaceans (copepods, mysis, and shrimp larvae), fish eggs, and algae.
General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade, yet quite attractive, having a tannish orange body with a black dot at the pectoral fin base. Colors vary somewhat due to areas of collection.
As with most Chromis species (unless noted differently), quite hardy, peaceful, and better maintained in small groups of at least five to seven members. Should be given wide-open swimming areas, as they are open water swimmers almost always in the upper aquarium areas, and non-aggressive tankmates.
As to diet, will eat most regular aquarium foods, e.g., live fortified brine shrimp and/or finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc., and plant material, e.g., flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina and should be offered several times daily.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Labroidei
Family: Pomacentridae
Subfamily: Chrominae
Genus: Chromis
FYI: Even though quite passive and will ignore other fish in the aquarium, larger aquariums, e.g., 50 gallons and above, provide far more openness for small shoals to ‘peacefully’ coexist.
If maintained in groups of less than mentioned above, they tend to be over dominate of each other and may force some members into hiding. The bigger the group, the less intergroup picking on each other exists.
Experience Level: Beginner
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Zooplanktivore/Omnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: Yes
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
