Cardinalfish

Cardinalfish are a popular choice for reef aquariums due to their striking appearance and peaceful nature. These small, schooling fish are known for their vibrant colors and distinctive body shapes, which often include elongated fins and large eyes. One of the most well-known species is the Pterapogon kauderni, which is easily recognizable by its silver body adorned with black stripes and spots. Another popular species is the Sphaeramia nematoptera, which features a unique pattern of spots and stripes, giving it a 'pajama' look.

Cardinalfish are generally hardy and easy to care for, making them suitable for both beginner and experienced aquarists. They thrive in well-maintained reef tanks with plenty of hiding spots and live rock, which mimic their natural habitat. These fish are nocturnal by nature, so they may be more active during the evening and night hours.

In terms of diet, Cardinalfish are carnivorous and prefer a varied diet of meaty foods such as brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, and finely chopped seafood. They can also be trained to accept high-quality flake or pellet foods. It's important to feed them small amounts several times a day to keep them healthy and vibrant.

Breeding Cardinalfish in captivity is possible and has been successfully done by many hobbyists. They are mouthbrooders, meaning the male carries the fertilized eggs in his mouth until they hatch. Providing a stress-free environment and proper nutrition can encourage breeding behavior.

Overall, Cardinalfish are a delightful addition to any reef aquarium, offering both beauty and interesting behavior. Their peaceful temperament allows them to coexist well with other reef-safe fish and invertebrates, making them a versatile choice for community tanks.

1. Common name: Brazilian flamefish

   Scientific name: Apogon americanus
2. 
   Common name: Blacktip cardinalfish

   Scientific name: Apogon atradorsatus
3. Common name: Two-spotted cardinalfish

   Scientific name: Apogon binotatus
4. Common name: Ruby cardinalfish

   Scientific name: Apogon coccineus
5. Common name: diamond cardinalfish

   Scientific name: Apogon dhofar
6. 
   Common name: Longspine cardinalfish

   Scientific name: Apogon doryssa
7. Common name: Hawaiian ruby cardinalfish

   Scientific name: Apogon erythrinus
8. Common name: Guadaloupe cardinalfish

   Scientific name: Apogon guadalupensis
9. 
   Common name: Cardinalfish

   Scientific name: Apogon imberbis
10. Common name: whitestar cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogon lachneri
11. Common name: Spotted cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogon maculatus
12. Common name: Mimic cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogon phenax
13. Common name: Rearbar cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogon posterofasciatus
14. Common name: Twospot cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogon pseudomaculatus
15. Common name: Sawcheek cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogon quadrisquamatus
16. Common name: Roughlip cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogon robinsi
17. Common name: Obliquebanded cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogon semiornatus
18. 
    Common name: belted cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogon townsendi
19. 
    Common name: Threadfin Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogonichthyoides cathetogramma
20. 
    Common name: Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogonichthyoides melas
21. 
    Common name: Bullseye cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogonichthyoides nigripinnis
22. Common name: twobelt cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Apogonichthyoides taeniatus
23. 
    Common name: Gon's cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Archamia bleekeri
24. Common name: Punctate cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Astrapogon puncticulatus
25. Common name: conchfish

    Scientific name: Astrapogon stellatus
26. Common name: Allen's Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Cheilodipterus alleni
27. 
    Common name: Tiger cardinal

    Scientific name: Cheilodipterus artus
28. Common name: arrowtooth cardinal

    Scientific name: Cheilodipterus lachneri
29. Common name: Mimic cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Cheilodipterus parazonatus
30. 
    Common name: Fivelined cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus
31. Common name: Inshore cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Fibramia lateralis
32. 
    Common name: Cinnamon Clownfish

    Scientific name: Fibramia thermalis
33. Common name: Spotcheek cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Fowleria variegata
34. Common name: Three-saddle cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Nectamia bandanensis
35. 
    Common name: Ghost cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Nectamia savayensis
36. 
    Common name: Zebra Dartfish

    Scientific name: Nectamia zebrinus
37. 
    Common name: Striped cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus angustatus
38. 
    Common name: Short-tooth cardinal

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus apogonoides
39. 
    Common name: Ringtailed cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus aureus
40. 
    Common name: Yellow cardinal-fish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus cavitensis
41. 
    Common name: Yellowlined cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus chrysotaenia
42. 
    Common name: Ochre-striped cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus compressus
43. 
    Common name: Chubby cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus cookii
44. 
    Common name: Yellowstriped cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus cyanosoma
45. 
    Common name: Redspot cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus dispar
46. Common name: Doederlein's cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus doederleini
47. 
    Common name: Many-striped cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus endekataenia
48. Common name: Brassy cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus flavus
49. Common name: Fukui's Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus fukuii
50. Common name: Griffin's Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus griffini
51. 
    Common name: Hartzfeld's cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus hartzfeldii
52. 
    Common name: Frostfin cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus hoevenii
53. Common name: Copperstriped cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus holotaenia
54. Common name: Ishigaki Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus ishigakiensis
55. Common name: rifle cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus kiensis
56. 
    Common name: Spotted Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus maculiferus
57. Common name: Pearly cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus margaritophorus
58. Common name: Blacktail Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus melanoproctus
59. 
    Common name: Moluccan cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus moluccensis
60. 
    Common name: Yelloweye Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus monospilus
61. Common name: Many-lined cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus multilineatus
62. 
    Common name: Dwarf Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus nanus
63. Common name: Neotenous cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus neotes
64. 
    Common name: Blackstripe cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus nigrofasciatus
65. Common name: Nine-banded soldierfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus novemfasciatus
66. 
    Common name: Orange-Lined Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus oxina
67. 
    Common name: Small-Scaled Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus parvulus
68. 
    Common name: Southern orange-lined cardinal fish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus properuptus
69. 
    Common name: Threadfin Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus pselion
70. 
    Common name: Redspot cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus rubrimacula
71. 
    Common name: Seale's cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus sealei
72. Common name: Meteor cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus selas
73. 
    Common name: Blacktip cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus semilineatus
74. 
    Common name: Kupang cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Ostorhinchus wassinki
75. 
    Common name: Pigmy sweeper

    Scientific name: Parapriacanthus ransonneti
76. 
    Common name: Glassy sweeper

    Scientific name: Pempheris schomburgkii
77. 
    Common name: Silver sweeper

    Scientific name: Pempheris schwenkii
78. 
    Common name: Vanikoro sweeper

    Scientific name: Pempheris vanicolensis
79. Common name: Lateralstripe cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Pristiapogon abrogramma
80. 
    Common name: Narrowstripe cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Pristiapogon exostigma
81. Common name: Bridled cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Pristiapogon fraenatus
82. 
    Common name: Iridescent cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Pristiapogon kallopterus
83. Common name: Bandfin cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Pristiapogon taeniopterus
84. 
    Common name: Redfin cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Pristicon rhodopterus
85. Common name: Three-spot cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Pristicon trimaculatus
86. Common name: White-jawed cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Pseudamia amblyuroptera
87. Common name: Tail-spot cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Pseudamia gelatinosa
88. Common name: Paddlefish cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Pseudamia zonata
89. 
    Common name: Banggai cardinal fish

    Scientific name: Pterapogon kauderni
90. 
    Common name: Luminous cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Rhabdamia gracilis
91. 
    Common name: Blackfin Dartfish

    Scientific name: Rhabdamia nigrimentum
92. Common name: Short siphonfish

    Scientific name: Siphamia fistulosa
93. Common name: Sea urchin cardinal

    Scientific name: Siphamia mossambica
94. 
    Common name: Urchin cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Siphamia tubifer
95. 
    Common name: Pajama cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Sphaeramia nematoptera
96. 
    Common name: Orbiculate cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Sphaeramia orbicularis
97. Common name: Twostripe Cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Taeniamia ataenia
98. Common name: Twinspot cardinalfish

    Scientific name: Taeniamia biguttata
99. 
    Common name: Two-line Monocle Bream

    Scientific name: Taeniamia bilineata
100. Common name: Buru cardinalfish

     Scientific name: Taeniamia buruensis
101. Common name: Bridled Cardinalfish

     Scientific name: Taeniamia fucata
102. Common name: Lea's Cardinalfish

     Scientific name: Taeniamia leai
103. Common name: Lined Dartfish

     Scientific name: Taeniamia lineolata
104. 
     Common name: Longfin Cardinalfish

     Scientific name: Taeniamia macroptera
105. Common name: Mozambique Cardinalfish

     Scientific name: Taeniamia mozambiquensis
106. 
     Common name: Crimson Soldierfish

     Scientific name: Taeniamia pallida
107. 
     Common name: Blackbelted cardinalfish

     Scientific name: Taeniamia zosterophora
108. Common name: Fragile cardinalfish

     Scientific name: Zoramia fragilis
109. 
     Common name: Longspine cardinalfish

     Scientific name: Zoramia leptacantha