Reef Stories

Cardinalfish

Fish Index

Fish

Sharks & Rays

Anenome Fish

Anthias

Angelfish

Batfish

Barracuda & Travallies

Box-, File-& Pufferfiish

Blennies

Butterflyfish

Cardinalfish

Dartfish

Dragonets

Dottybacks

Eels

Flatfish

Frogfish

Gobies

Ghost Pipefish

Hawkfish

Jawfish

Sand-Divers

Scorpionfish

Seahorses

Snappers

Surgeonfish

Sweetlips

Triggerfish

Wrasse

Of the c. 250 species, some 150 are found on SE Asian reefs. The are one of the few marine fish that are mouth-breeder, with the males carrying the eggs in their mounths until hatched. Brooding males are easily recognised by the swollen throats. Cardinalfish have been understudied, and new species can be expected as more research is carried out.

Most species are night active though some are seen in large mixed groups or single species aggregations in the day. Rhabdamia cypselurus can be seen in huge groups over corals while Ostorhinchus parvula schools midwater near reefs. Archamia furcata & Ostorhinchus aureus can ofter be seen in mixed groups around outcrops with black coral. Stagshorn coral provides protection to large groups of e.g. Ostorhinchus sealei, Archamia melasma, Taeniamia zosterophora. Other species seek shelter between the spines of sea-urchins, and Neamia octospina is able to hide between the highly poisonous tentacles of Fire Anenomes (Phyllodiscus semani).

The Bangai Cardinalfish is the only species under threat. This is due to massive over-collecting by the aquarium trade.

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Cardinalfish Genera

A number of the genera have benn split out here simply make viewing them easier, and some comments are genus-specific.

Apogonichthyoides & Archamia

Cheilodipterus

Gymnapogon, Nectamia & Neamia

One of the images shows one of a group of Neamia octospina hiding in a Fire Anenome.

Ostorhinchus

Perapogon, Pristapogon & Rhabdamia

The Bangai Cardinalfish (Perapogon kauderni) are extemely popular aquarium fish. The are easy to breed in captivity and yet they are so relentlessly collected in their very restricted home range, that they are critically endangered there, On the other hand, the sinking of an aquarium fish collection boat in Lembeh, North Sulawesi released Bangai Cardinalfish into Lembeh, and over the years they have taken over the the living space of many clownfish.

This is the only species that has no planktonic stage. The eggs and juvenile remain in the mouth of the male for c. 30 days, emerging as miniature adults. This accoiunts for their restricted natural distribution.

Sphaeramia

The Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera) lives in groups hiding in branching corals e.g. Porities, Acropora. They are favourites for marine aquaria, but to catch them wither cyanide is used, or the hard coral surrounded by a net, and then all the coral branches broken so they have nowhere to hide.

Sphaeramia orbicularis can be seen in large groups in sheltered mangrove areas

Sphaeramia nematoptera - night colouration

Taeniamia & Zoramia

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