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Scientific Name: Sphaeramia nematoptera
Alt Scientific Name:
Common Name: Pajama Cardinalfish
Alt Common Name: Spotted Cardinalfish, Polka-dot Cardinalfish, Coral Cardinalfish, Pajama Cardinal, Spotted Cardinal
Group: Cardinalfish (Cardinals)
Family: Apogonidae
Distribution: Western Pacific
Adult Size: 3 inches (7.6cm)
Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
Temperament: Generally peaceful - these fish enjoy a small school of 3 or more.
Care Difficulty: 4/10
Very Easy |
Moderate |
Very Difficult |
Reef Safety Score : 3/3
Not Safe |
High Risk |
Low Risk |
Reef Safe |
Temperature Range: 75°F - 82°F
74 |
76 |
78 |
80 |
82 |
84 |
pH Range: 8.1 - 8.4
7.8 |
8.0 |
8.2 |
8.4 |
8.6 |
8.8 |
Salinity Range (specific gravity): 1.02 - 1.026
1.016 |
1.020 |
1.024 |
1.028 |
1.032 |
1.036 |
Diet Information: Wild pajama cardinals feed on small crustaceans at night. In captivity they will accept most meaty frozen foods and sometimes even flakes or pellets, though live mysis shrimp and amphipods are preferred. As these fish are nocturnal, they are not always willing to accept food during the daytime. Housing them with diurnal tankmates who are aggressive feeders may mean that the cardinals have to be fed at night or during a "twilight" period.
Additional Information : The Pajama Cardinalfish, also known as Polka-dot Cardinalfish or Spotted Cardinalfish, has a greenish-yellow face with orange eyes. The midsection is silver with bold, black scalar margins and the posterior section of the body is silver with orange polka-dots.
Tank Mate Compatibility : These cardinalfish will not bother most tankmates or each other. Though they maintain a social hierarchy, they are not aggressive towards each other like the Banggai cardinalfish. Do not house pajama cardinals with large predators, as they are easy prey fish. Small shrimp may be looked on as food items by larger cardinals.
Breeding Information: After a pair has formed and produced eggs, the male will store them in his mouth. They take about a week to hatch, after which the young fish will become planktonic larvae. Pajama cardinalfish fry have been successfully raised in captivity, though captive-bred fish are not readily available for sale.
Determining Sex: No method is proven for determining sex, but many believe males tend to have larger mouths.
Primary Area in Tank: All over.
