Saltwater Fish Cardinals: Orbic Cardinal, Bangai Cardinal, Flame Cardinal, Spotted Cardinal- Aquatic Connection

Cardinal Fish

Cardinalfish can be described as little fish with big eyes. Most remain small, growing to no more than 3 inches and several species are quite colorful and decorated with stripes and spots. They are generally found in groups among coral reefs around the world. Their large eyes help them to locate small crustaceans and fish to feed on. Popular with many fish enthusiasts because of their peaceful nature, Cardinalfish are hardy and can be safely kept in reef tanks. Being somewhat shy in nature they should be provided with lots of rocks and caves to hide in and should not be kept with aggressive tankmates. Cardinalfish will eat all types of food and they should be offered a varied diet of meaty fare such as brine shrimp, msyis shrimp, bloodworms, etc. Several species of Cardinalfish have been successfully bred in captivity. It is very difficult to differentiate between the sexes, so a group of fish should be kept together and allowed to pair off.

Flame Cardinal
Apogon maculatus

Description: The Flame Cardinal, also known as the Flamefish, is fiery red with light accents of blue and green. Some nice caves and peaceful tank mates are a good environment for this slow and methodical swimmer. It is a nocturnal fish and may be watched using a red light.
Recommended minimum tank size: 30 gallon or larger
Food and diet:The Flame Cardinal requires a well-balanced and vitamin-enriched diet of meaty foods such as brine shrimp, frozen meaty fish foods, bloodworms, and depending on its size, live feeder fish.
Level of Care: Easy
Reef Compatibility:Very good reef tank or community fish
Approximate Purchase Size: 2"

$17.99

Bangaii Cardinal
Pterapogon Kauderni

Description: With its amazing metallic silver, highlighted by rich black stripes and white, clownlike spots on the body and fins, the Bangaii Cardinal also called the Kaudern's Cardinal Fish or Longfin Cardinal Fish. This sophisticated color pattern makes it a visual striking and memorable addition to most saltwater aquariums.
Recommended minimum tank size: A 30 gallon or larger aquarium with a cave and peaceful tank mates is suitable for this slow and methodical swimmer. As a group, they will establish a strict hierarchy without aggressiveness. The Kaudern's Cardinal is relatively easy to breed in the aquarium setting. Once spawning has occurred, the male carries the eggs in his mouth to protect them.
Food and diet:Requires a well balanced diet of meaty foods such as feeder shrimp, flake foods, pellet foods, marine flesh, bloodworms, and depending on its size, live feeder fish.
Level of Care: Easy
Reef Compatibility:Very good reef tank or community fish.
Approximate Purchase Size: 1-1/2"

$24.99

Spotted Cardinal
Sphaeramia nematoptera

Description: The Spotted Cardinalfish also called the Pajama Cardinal, is a rainbow of playful colors. It has a greenish-yellow face, bright orange eyes, and a silver-based body dressed with a bold black scalar margin and a posterior dotted with orange polka-dots. Though its bold coloration may stand out, Sphaeramia nematoptera has a peaceful nature that lets it blend perfectly into any community saltwater aquarium.
Recommended minimum tank size: For the best care, the Spotted Cardinalfish should be kept in small schools in suitably sized aquariums of at least 30 gallons. Because the Spotted Cardinalfish is a slow and methodical swimmer, it should be housed with peaceful tankmates and offered a plethora of hiding places amongst rockwork or plants. Most Spotted Cardinalfish will tend to hide in sea grass or other plants. Some may also camouflage themselves against long spined sea urchins. Like many other schooling fish, the Spotted Cardinalfish will form a strict hierarchy when kept in small groups within the aquarium. However, unlike some social fish, this member of the Apogonidae family does not use aggression to exert dominance over other cardinalfish.
Food and diet:The Spotted Cardinalfish requires a well balanced diet of meaty foods such as feeder shrimp, flake foods, pellet foods, marine flesh, bloodworms, and depending on its size, live feeder fish.
Level of Care: Easy
Reef Compatibility:Very good reef tank or community fish.
Approximate Purchase Size: 1-1/4" to 2"

$18.99

Orbic Cardinal
Sphaeramia orbicularis

Description: The Orbiculate Cardinalfish is very similar in appearance to the more common Pajama Cardinal but has more monochromatic brown coloration. It is hardy and peaceful and can be kept in most community or reef aquariums.
Recommended minimum tank size: 30 gallon or larger
Food and diet:Cardinals require a well-balanced and vitamin-enriched diet of meaty foods such as brine shrimp, frozen meaty fish foods, bloodworms, and depending on its size, live feeder fish.
Level of Care: Easy
Reef Compatibility:Very good reef tank or community fish
Approximate Purchase Size: 1" to 11/2"

$12.99

Ochre Striped Cardinal
Apogon compressus

Description: Coming from the Indo-West Pacific, the Ochre Striped Cardinalfish they are found in groups sheltering in branching corals in protected lagoons and reefs. A beautiful fish that occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. When available, we suggest you pick this one up! The Ochre Striped Cardinal can be recognised by its blue eyes and by its colour and pattern. This species usually has 3-4 dark spots on the base of the tail fin and six red-brown stripes on the side of the body, the one behind the eye splits into two branches.
Recommended minimum tank size: A 20 gallon or larger aquarium
Food and diet:Requires a well balanced diet of meaty foods such as feeder shrimp, flake foods, pellet foods, marine flesh, bloodworms, and depending on its size, live feeder fish.
Level of Care: Easy
Reef Compatibility:Very good reef tank or community fish.
Approximate Purchase Size: 1-1/2"

$24.99

YOUR FISH HEALTH DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU FEED THEM- FEED THEM THE BEST FISH FOODS

Why Use New Life Spectrum Fish Foods?
All-natural New Life Spectrum contains absolutely no hormones. New Life Spectrum noticeably increases both color and vigor in both marine and freshwater fish. Premium ingredients produce results superior to other pellets, and even specialized fresh food (such as brine shrimp, seaweed, etc.) without pollution. The high-density, nutritious pellets help prevent lateral line disease, as well as other ailments related to faltering health. New Life Spectrum provides trace elements present in natural environments, but missing in aquariums.

Using Other Brands:
Even some hard to feed marine fish will eat New Life Spectrum fish food. Pellets are designed with no dust and will stay in the water for hours without disintegrating, reducing pollution.
New Life Spectrum is suitable for omnivorous, herbivorous, and many carnivorous fish. Ounce-for-ounce, New Life Spectrum provides far better nutrition than flake food, and is less-expensive relative to weight.
- High-quality easily digestible krill & fish meal protein
- Balanced daily diet for all marine fish
- Boosts immune system to repel parasites
- Enhances the full spectrum of your fish's color

Click here for more information on the importance of phytoplankton for your corals

We Highly Recommend you use Spectrum Fish Food by Newlife
Feed your fish a better food and watch their health and colors improve
Starting At - $7.99

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Photos are representative of each species. Each animal is unique and variations should be expected.

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Please note: Aquatic Connection will not guarantee the coloration of corals as seen in your reef system.

Reason? Not all corals from our tanks and lighting will look the same when they are in your tanks. Everybody's tanks have different lighting setups, spectrums, combinations, etc. Aquatic Connection's tanks are lit by 400 watt 20K Halide bulbs. We use this combination for best growth. But for best viewing this is not the best lighting choice. Aquatic Connection photographs all polyps under Actinic only lighting. This brings out the true zoanthilia and protopalythoa colors. If your tank consists of all daylight (10K's, 14K's etc.) with minimal actinic lighting, your not going to see the vibrant true colors. We suggest you add true actinic lamps also and turn these on in the evening without the daylight lighting for proper color viewing.