Amboina Cardinalfish

Fibramia amboinensis

Also known as Apogon amboinensis, Ambon Cardinalfish

SaltwaterFish

Amboina Cardinalfish (Fibramia amboinensis) — Biota · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 3.5 in (9 cm)
Minimum tank: 50 gal (190 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Very rare
Reef safe: Reef safe
Origin: Indo-West Pacific (East Africa to the Solomon Islands)
Family: Apogonidae

Overview

A peaceful, social cardinalfish that does best in a group of three or more alongside calm tankmates. Captive-bred fish are hardy and take pellets and frozen foods without fuss. Adults may eat very small shrimp and fish, so choose the tiniest tankmates with care.

In the wild

The Amboina cardinalfish is an inshore specialist that lives around mangrove roots, river mouths and quiet estuaries across the Indo-West Pacific, and it even follows the tide into fresh water. In the aquarium it settles happily into normal reef conditions with caves, overhangs and shaded structure to hold near. A tank of 190 liters or more suits a small group.

Good to know

Fibramia amboinensis was described as Apogon amboinensis in 1854 and moved to the newer genus Fibramia in 2014. It reaches about 9 cm and carries a dark stripe through each eye from the snout to the gill cover. The male is a mouthbrooder, and one brooding fish was found carrying roughly 3,000 eggs.

Did you know

This is one of the few cardinalfish in the hobby that routinely leaves full seawater in the wild, moving between mangroves, brackish river mouths and even fresh water as the tide changes.