Cardinalfish Care Guide

Cardinalfish, especially the popular Banggai cardinalfish, are prized for their calm demeanor and status as one of the few saltwater fish that breed readily in home aquariums.

Temperament

Cardinalfish are peaceful, slow-moving fish that do well in a community reef tank without the territorial behavior seen in many other marine species.

Feeding

Cardinalfish accept frozen mysis, brine shrimp, and other prepared foods without much fuss, making them easy to keep well-fed.

Breeding

Male Banggai cardinalfish are mouthbrooders, carrying fertilized eggs and later free-swimming fry in their mouths for several weeks — a fascinating behavior to observe in a home reef tank.

Reef Compatibility

Cardinalfish are reef-safe and pair well with the stocking approach outlined in our Complete Guide to Coral Reef Tanks.

Browse our cardinalfish selection, including the Blue Eye Candy Cane Cardinal.