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 the Hawaiian, Line, Marquesan, and Society Islands, north to Southern Japan, south to Lord Howe Island, Mariana, Caroline, and Marshall Islands.
Size: 5 inches (14 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoons or bays, and outer reef slope rubble areas and usually found at depths between 15 – 50 feet (5 – 15 m) where it feeds on zooplankton.
General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade, having blue body with a black spot on the center of the tail.
Can be maintained in either fish-only or reef aquariums having numerous hiding places, e.g., rocky crevices and a finely grained deep sand bed for hiding when threatened or sleeping at night. Will hover in open water, yet near the safety of an area where it can quickly retreat if threatened.
Should not be housed with aggressive fishes such as groupers, dottybacks, triggerfishes or aggressive angelfishes.
Requires a meaty diet, including fortified brine shrimp, mysis, and other meaty type marine fresh or frozen foods, which should be finely chopped and dispensed upstream so the water current brings the food to within the area it inhabits. Needs two feedings per day.
If difficult to get feeding in the beginning, try some live foods, such as adult fortified brine shrimp.
Taxonomy:
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Percoidei
Family: Microdesmidae
Genus: Ptereleotris
FYI: One per tank unless a mated pair. Those in small groups will often chase each other causing injuries or death.
Colors fade if it has an inadequate/varied diet.
Covered aquariums are required as this a good jumper.
Naturally faces into the current to capture zooplankton.
Experience Level: Beginner
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: Yes
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 80°F (22 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
