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

Cardinal Fish

Cardinal fish are a family, Apogonidae, of ray-finned fishes. They are found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, they are chiefly marine, but some species are found in brackish water. A handful of species are kept in the aquarium and are popular as small, peaceful, and colourful fish. They are generally small fish, with most species being less than 4 inches, and are often brightly coloured. They are distinguished by their large mouths, and the division of the dorsal fin into two separate fins. Most species live in tropical or subtropical waters, where they inhabit coral reefs and lagoons. They are nocturnal, spending the day in dark crevices within the reef. At least some species brood the eggs inside the mouth of the males. 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 a Cardinalfish from the Western Atlantic. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It can be aggressive towards other cardinal fish. Only one should be kept in a tank unless in mated pairs. Otherwise it does well with peaceful tank mates as long as it has caves and places to hide.
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
Acclimaton Time: 3+ hours
Reef Compatibility:Very good reef tank or community fish
Approximate Purchase Size: 2"

$17.99

Bangaii Cardinals
Pterapogon Kauderni

Description: The Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) is a small tropical cardinalfish (family Apogonidae). This attractive fish is popular in the aquarium trade. It is among the relatively few marine fish to have been bred regularly in captivity, but significant numbers are still captured in the wild. Grows up to about 3 inches in total length. It has a distinctive contrasting pattern of black and light bars with white spots. This species is easily differentiated from all other cardinalfish by its tasseled first dorsal fin, elongate anal and second dorsal fin rays, deeply forked caudal fin, and color pattern consisting of three black bars across the head and body and prominent black anterior edges on the anal and second dorsal fin. Males can be differentiated from females by a conspicuous enlarged oral cavity, which is apparent only when they are brooding.
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
Acclimaton Time: 3+ hours
Reef Compatibility:Very good reef tank or community fish.
Approximate Purchase Size: 1" to 1-1/2"

$19.99 ea. ~ 3 for $49.99

Red Spotted Cardinal
Sphaeramia nematoptera

Description: The Pajama cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera) is a species of fish belonging to the Apogonidae family. It is a popular aquarium fish. It grows to a total length of about 2.5 inches and features distinctive red eyes and a broad dark vertical 'waistband' with scattered red spots toward the tail. It is considered to be of low vulnerability, and is distributed throughout much of the West Pacific, from Java to Fiji, and from the Ryukyu Islands south to the Great Barrier Reef. A hardy and peaceful fish that can live many years in a marine aquarium. It will typically not bother other fish, or invertebrates and is therefore considered reef safe. As they are a social fish, it is common to keep them in groups of five or more. They have been known to breed in captivity, unlike most marine fish, but captive bred specimens are only rarely available.
Interesting fact:If they are kept with a long spined sea urchin they will hide among the spines when they feel threatened.
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
Acclimaton Time: 3+ hours
Reef Compatibility:Very good reef tank or community fish.
Approximate Purchase Size: 1-1/4" to 2"

$14.99

Orbic Cardinal
Sphaeramia orbicularis

Description: The Orbiculate cardinalfish (Sphaeramia orbicularis) is a species of cardinalfish from the Apogonidae family. It has a thin, dark vertical 'waistband' with scattered dark spots toward the tail. The Orbiculate cardinalfish is found in coastal areas throughout much the Indo-Pacific. In the Orbiculate cardinalfish, males incubate the eggs in their mouth until they hatch. It eats mostly planktonic crstaceans, eating mostly at night. While it is not a common marine aquarium fish, it can be a good beginner fish.
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
Acclimaton Time: 3+ hours
Reef Compatibility:Very good reef tank or community fish
Approximate Purchase Size: 1" to 11/2"

$12.99

Ochre Striped Cardinal
Apogon compressus

Description: Apogon compressus, commonly called the ochre-striped cardinalfish, is a Cardinalfish from the Indo-West Pacific. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. Found in groups , they seek protection by staying inside the branches of corals in shallow lagoons .
Recommended Tank Info: A minimum of a 10-gallon tank is all thats nescessary but live rock with a few caves is highly recommended for the Cardinals to b happy. If you have a larger aquarium, they make a beautiful grouping without any agressiveness between the species.
Food and diet:The Orange Lined Cardinalfish dietary needs include some meaty type foods such as shrimp, marine flesh, bloodworms, and other carnivor likings, along with flake foods, and pellet foods.
Level of Care: Easy
Acclimaton Time: 2+ hours
Reef Compatibility:Very good reef tank or community fish.
Approximate Purchase Size: 1" to 1-3/4"

$24.99

Orange Striped Cardinal
Apogon properuptus

Description: Found in the Indo-West Pacific, the orange striped Cardinal fish is also called the Coral Cardinal fish. A beauty not always found in aquarium shops, they are an orangish/red and gold coloration. Found in pairs or small groups on sheltered reef slopes, near coral and rocky areas, sheltering during the day coming out at night to feed on zooplankton and bottom dwelling crustaceans. Males incubate their eggs inside their mouths, as the egg masses increase in size they can be found with wide open mouths where they shift the eggs around to aerate the egg masses
Recommended Tank Info: A minimum of a 10-gallon tank is all thats nescessary but live rock with a few caves is highly recommended for the Cardinals to b happy. If you have a larger aquarium, they make a beautiful grouping without any agressiveness between the species.
Food and diet:The Orange Lined Cardinalfish dietary needs include some meaty type foods such as shrimp, marine flesh, bloodworms, and other carnivor likings, along with flake foods, and pellet foods.
Level of Care: Easy
Acclimaton Time: 2+ hours
Reef Compatibility:Very good reef tank or community fish.
Approximate Purchase Size: 1" to 1-3/4"

$19.99

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

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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.