Banggai cardinalfish

Description:

This species grows up to 8 centimetres (3 in) total length. It has a distinctive contrasting pattern of black and light bars with white spots. This species is easily differentiated from all other cardinalfish by its tasseled first dorsal fin, elongate anal and second dorsal fin rays, deeply forked caudal fin, and color pattern consisting of three black bars across the head and body and prominent black anterior edges on the anal and second dorsal fin. Males can be differentiated from females by a conspicuous enlarged oral cavity, which is apparent only when they are brooding

Habitat:

These fish have been successfully bred in captivity.[2] The male broods the eggs and later the fry in his mouth cavity. The male does not eat at this time and will hold the brood of around 25 fry for 4–5 weeks. Fry can then be raised on brine shrimp nauplii enriched with marine lipid supplements. Captive-breeding presents an alternative to wild caught fish. However, the relatively high cost–benefit of its production combined with the large number of less expensive wild-harvested fish has prevented expansion of aquaculture efforts. In addition, a newly emerging threat (a viral disease) has been documented in wild-harvested individuals maintained in captivity

Notes:

Photo taken at the Aquatic Critter, Nashville, TN