TankBud

Yellow cardinalfish

Ostorhinchus luteus

Also known as Apogon luteus, Yellow Cardinal

SaltwaterFish

Yellow cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus luteus)
Debra Baker · CC BY 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–79°F
23–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Apogonidae
Origin
Western Pacific (Micronesia to Fiji)

Overview

The yellow cardinalfish is a tiny, peaceful cardinalfish for a small reef tank. It is easy to keep and spends its time in the middle of the water.

Did you know

Wild yellow cardinalfish almost never reach the aquarium trade. Nearly every fish offered comes from hatchery lines that began with ORA's first captive breeding in 2017.

Caring for the yellow cardinalfish

Keep yellow cardinalfish in a group of three or more, in at least 20 gal (75 L) with plenty of overhangs to gather beneath. Singles tend to hide. They rest under cover by day and grow bolder toward evening.

Hold the water at 73 to 79°F (23 to 26°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Small meaty frozen foods and fine pellets suit their small mouths, and a feeding after the lights dim is appreciated.

The yellow cardinalfish is peaceful and reef safe, so keep it with peaceful tank mates. The male carries the fertilized eggs in his mouth until they hatch. Breeding them takes a little experience.

Good to know

The yellow cardinalfish, Ostorhinchus luteus, was described in 1998 and is one of the smallest cardinalfish in the hobby. Its body is a plain golden yellow without stripes or spots. It belongs to the family Apogonidae and also goes by the name Apogon luteus.

In the wild

The yellow cardinalfish lives on Western Pacific reefs from Micronesia to Fiji, from the shallows down to about 49 meters. It clusters under ledges, in holes and among the spines of sea urchins. It was first collected in the lagoon at Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The yellow 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 a yellow cardinalfish need?

A yellow cardinalfish needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a yellow cardinalfish need?

A yellow cardinalfish is comfortable at 73–79°F (23–26°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a yellow cardinalfish eat?

A yellow cardinalfish eats small meaty frozen foods and fine pellets that suit its small mouth. It appreciates a feeding after the lights dim.

How big does a yellow cardinalfish get?

An adult yellow cardinalfish reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

How does a yellow cardinalfish breed?

The yellow cardinalfish is a mouthbrooder, and the male carries the fertilized eggs in his mouth until they hatch. Breeding them takes a little experience.

Related species