Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: Gulf of Mexico, Southern Florida, Bermuda, and south to Brazil.
Size: 34 inches (87 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow rocky and rubble areas on coastal reefs at depths about 3 - 100 feet (1 – 30 m) and stays under rocks and/or in caves during daytime and hunts prey during evening hours when it feeds mainly on small fishes and crustaceans.
General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade, having slender, curved jaws with long sharp teeth in a mouth that is always partly open, and with its body coloration an overall motted dark brown.
Best maintained in a dimly lit aquarium having live rock, hiding places/caves, and tankmates large enough not to be eaten.
As to diet, fresh fish and/or crustacean flesh impaled on a long feeding stick and waved near its head, which usually sticks out of a hiding area, will entice it to grab the food and should be offered twice weekly.
Taxonomy:
Order: Anguilliformes
Suborder: Muraenoidei
Family: Muraenidae
Subfamily: Muraeninae
Genus: Enchelycore
FYI: Avoid hand feeding!
One per aquarium.
May be difficult to get feeding, if so, try providing it live fishes small enough to be eaten. Also, live ghost/grass shrimp and/or small crabs, e.g., fiddler crabs can be supplied to induce feeding.
Aquarium must be covered, as they can get out of the aquarium through very small openings.
Rockwork in the aquarium should be quite stable, as they can undermine rock structures and cause their collapse.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Carnivore
Coral Safe: Yes
Fish Safe: With caution
Invertebrate Safe: With caution
Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium
Tankmates: Semi-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
