Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Western Indian Ocean to Samoa north to Southern Japan.
Size: 40 inches (100 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow lagoons and reef flats at depths between 3 to about 25 feet (1 – 8 m) and stays buried in sand or rubble during daytime and hunts prey during evening hours when it feeds mainly on crustaceans.
General Husbandry: Rarely ever seen in the trade, having a long pale white ribbon-shaped body.
Best maintained in aquarium having live rock, hiding places/caves, and peaceful tankmates that are large enough not to be eaten.
As to diet, fresh fish and/or crustacean flesh (especially krill) 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: Pseudechidna
FYI: Avoid hand feeding!
May be difficult to get feeding, if so, try feeding small live fishes (guppies/mollies), ghost/grass shrimp and/or small crabs, e.g., fiddler crabs.
Will eat ornamental crustaceans.
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.
Plastic piping, such as PVC makes a good hiding tube, but put a 90 degree bend in it somewhere about one-third of its length.
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 – 28°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5
