Banggai cardinalfish care

Quick reference

What is a banggai cardinalfish?

Pterapogon kauderni is apparently restricted to the Banggai Islands of Indonesia, in very shallow water (usually 1–2 m) over silty sand and seagrass, where groups hover above long-spined sea urchins; juveniles also shelter in anemones.^[1] The IUCN listed it as Endangered in 2007 because of its tiny occupied area and declines from collection for the aquarium trade, with one island's subpopulation reported extinct in 2004.^{[5, 1]} NOAA Fisheries listed it as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in January 2016.^[2]

Feeding

Kurtz lists mysis, enriched brine shrimp, bloodworms and chopped crustacean and mollusc flesh, and says most adapt to daytime feeding even though the species is nocturnal.^[3]

Aggression and spacing

Peaceful with other species,^[3] but not with its own: LiveAquaria says its aggression toward its own kind means it shouldn't be kept in large groups,^[4] and Kurtz says squabbling within a group in an ordinary tank can whittle it down to one fish. A known mated pair is the exception.^[3]

Tankmates

Reef safe and inoffensive to sessile invertebrates, and fine with most small, peaceful fish.^[3] Give it caves and ledges to shade in.^[3]

Disease and quarantine

We found no disease information specific to the Banggai cardinalfish. General marine fish guidance applies: CORAL Magazine recommends quarantining every incoming fish, captive-bred included, for at least 2–4 weeks, and UF/IFAS advises 3–6 weeks at 24–27 °C, longer when ich is suspected.^{[6, 7]} Microcosm reports captive-bred fish surviving better than imported wild stock.^[5]

Breeding

The male broods the eggs in his mouth until they hatch, and the young stay in his mouth for a while after hatching.^[1] There's no planktonic larval stage, which is why it is easy to breed;^{[3, 5]} Microcosm says it has been called the "guppy" of marine fishes,^[5] and LiveAquaria calls it relatively easy to breed in the aquarium.^[4] Kurtz says captive-bred fish are routinely available at a reasonable price, and urges buyers to avoid wild-caught ones.^[3]

Troubleshooting

Common mistakes

• •Buying wild-caught fish.^{[3, 5]}
• •Keeping a group in an ordinary tank.^{[4, 3]}
• •No shaded caves to retreat to.^[3]

Equipment & food for this species

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Frozen mysis is a good staple and quality pellets cover daily feeding. Many keepers soak food in a vitamin supplement such as Selcon.

Banggai cardinalfish FAQ

Is the Banggai cardinalfish endangered?

Yes: the IUCN lists it as Endangered (assessed 2007), and NOAA Fisheries listed it as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in 2016.^{[1, 5, 2]} Buy captive-bred.^[3]

Can you keep Banggai cardinals in a group?

Usually not: LiveAquaria says its aggression toward its own kind rules out large groups, and Kurtz says groups squabble down to one fish unless the tank is very large.^{[4, 3]}

Are Banggai cardinals easy to breed?

Yes: the male mouthbroods and there's no planktonic larval stage, so captive-bred fish are routinely available.^{[1, 3]}

What size tank does a Banggai cardinal need?

30 gallons, according to LiveAquaria and Reef Builders.^{[4, 3]}

Are Banggai cardinals reef safe?

Yes; Kurtz calls it completely inoffensive to sessile invertebrates.^[3]