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Orbiculate cardinalfish

Sphaeramia orbicularis

Also known as Orbic Cardinalfish, Polka-dot Cardinalfish, Chubby Cardinalfish, Orbiculate Cardinal

SaltwaterFish

Orbiculate cardinalfish (Sphaeramia orbicularis)
Sushi Girl1995 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
30 gal
115 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Medium
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Apogonidae
Origin
Indo-West Pacific from East Africa to the western Pacific, in mangroves, harbours and sheltered coastal reefs.

Overview

The orbiculate cardinalfish is a hardy, calm cardinalfish for a peaceful reef tank. It is an easy beginner fish.

Did you know

A brooding male orbiculate cardinalfish fasts the whole time, right up until the young hatch.

Caring for the orbiculate cardinalfish

Keep a small group of orbiculate cardinalfish in at least 30 gal (115 L), with rock and shade. Add them all at once so they settle their pecking order peacefully. They hover quietly in loose groups in the middle of the tank.

Hold the water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Feed meaty foods such as mysis and enriched brine shrimp, ideally toward evening, when they are most active.

The orbiculate cardinalfish is peaceful and reef safe with corals, though it may eat very small fish and worms at night. The male carries the eggs in his mouth until they hatch, and breeding them is moderately hard.

Good to know

The orbiculate cardinalfish, Sphaeramia orbicularis, is a round, silvery cardinalfish speckled with dark dots. It belongs to the family Apogonidae and is the plainer cousin of the popular pajama cardinalfish. It is also sold as the polka-dot, orbic or chubby cardinalfish.

In the wild

The orbiculate cardinalfish ranges across the Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa to the western Pacific. It lives in low-energy habitats such as brackish mangroves, harbors and sheltered coastal reefs. It shelters there by day and comes out to feed at dusk.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The orbiculate cardinalfish is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does an orbiculate cardinalfish need?

An orbiculate cardinalfish needs at least 30 gal (115 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an orbiculate cardinalfish need?

An orbiculate cardinalfish is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does an orbiculate cardinalfish eat?

An orbiculate cardinalfish eats meaty foods such as mysis and enriched brine shrimp, best offered toward evening. It may also eat very small fish and worms at night.

How big does an orbiculate cardinalfish get?

An adult orbiculate cardinalfish reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

How does an orbiculate cardinalfish breed?

The orbiculate cardinalfish is a mouthbrooder, and the male carries the eggs in his mouth until they hatch. Breeding them is moderately hard.

Related species