Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea and East Africa to Line and Pitcairn Islands, north to Southern Japan, and south to Lord Howe Island.
Size: 6 inches (14 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoon patch reefs, back reefs, reef faces and fore-reef slopes at depths between 3 to about 180 feet (1 – 55 m) and mainly feeds on planktonic crustaceans (copepods, mysis, and shrimp larvae), fish eggs and filamentous algae.
General Husbandry: Fairly common in the trade, yet not a peaceful community fish and one of the largest in this genus. Juveniles have a black body and fins, with one white spot on the head, and one on either side of the upper mid body, hence the common name – Threespot Dascyllus. As they grow into adulthood, they become quite drab and usually lose the white spots.
Best housed with dottybacks, large angelfishes and surgeonfishes, and triggerfishes.
As to diet, a meaty diet, e.g., live fortified brine shrimp and/or finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam and plant material, e.g., flake foods, especially those containing Spirulina should be offered several times daily.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Labroidei
Family: Pomacentridae
Subfamily: Chrominae
Genus: Dascyllus
FYI: Juveniles can be maintained in small groups, yet as they age, will quarrel with each other, and tankmates even if they are also quite feisty.
Cute when small, but devils when they mature. Think twice before putting these in your aquarium!
Expansive growths of branching stony corals provide this species a more appropriate environment.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Feisty/belligerent
Diet: Omnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Temperature Range: 74 - 84°F (23 – 28°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
