Flame Cardinalfish

Care at a glance

Overview

Peaceful with unrelated tankmates and safe around corals and clams, though it will eat ornamental shrimp small enough to fit in its mouth. It is territorial toward its own kind and other cardinalfish, so keep a single fish or an established mated pair rather than an unrelated group. Feed a mix of mysis, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp and finely chopped seafood; its red color holds up best with pigment-rich foods and tends to fade on a poor diet.

In the wild

Native to the western Atlantic, from Bermuda and the Gulf of Mexico through the Caribbean to Brazil, where it hides in caves and under ledges by day. Keep it in at least 114 liters (30 gallons) with several caves or overhangs among the live rock; a mated pair does better in 208 liters (55 gallons) or more. It is nocturnal and most active once the lights dim, so it is worth viewing under red or blue night lighting.

Good to know

Flame cardinalfish are paternal mouthbrooders: after spawning, the male gathers the fertilized eggs into his mouth and holds them there through incubation, eating little or nothing until they hatch. This strategy produces far fewer, larger offspring than fish that scatter their eggs into open water, and it is part of why cardinalfish are a popular family for hobbyists attempting their first marine breeding project.

Did you know

Freshly imported flame cardinals can be surprisingly touchy, often refusing to eat and struggling to settle right after shipping, so a quiet, well-hidden spot and a little patience usually make the difference before it starts feeding normally.

Related species

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  Banggai Cardinalfish

  Pterapogon kauderni

  3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Orbiculate Cardinalfish

  Sphaeramia orbicularis

  3.9 in (10 cm)30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Pajama Cardinalfish

  Sphaeramia nematoptera

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• 

  Yellowstriped Cardinalfish

  Ostorhinchus cyanosoma

  3.1 in (8 cm)30 gal (114 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Threadfin Cardinalfish

  Zoramia leptacantha

  2.4 in (6 cm)30 gal (114 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Skunk Clownfish

  Amphiprion akallopisos

  4.3 in (11 cm)26 gal (100 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)