Zoramia leptacantha
| Latin name | Zoramia leptacantha - (Bleeker, 1856) |
|---|---|
| Local name | Threadfin cardinalfish |
| Family | Apogonidae - Zoramia |
| Origin | East Indian Ocean, West Indian Ocean, Australia, Japan, The Red Sea, Indonesia, East Pacific, Central/West Pacific |
| Max length | 6 cm (2.4") |
| Minimum volume |
100 l (26 gal) 
|
|---|---|
| Hardiness |
Average
|
| Suitable for aquarium |
Suitable for most aquarium
|
| Reef safe |
Always reef safe
|
| Aggressiveness | Docile |
| Recommended |
Small crustaceans (Krill, mysis, artemia...) Zooplankton (Cyclops, pods...) |
|---|
This species can be kept in a small tank, if it is specifically equipped to meet its needs.
It is recommended however, to keep it in an aquarium which is larger then described above.
This species, on occasion, likes to hide in the spines of Diadema sea urchins.
This species thrives best if it is kept in a group of five or more individuals.
This species is very shy and docile, so one should be careful when keeping it with more aggressive fish.
This species likes to hide in and amongst the branches of corals, e.g. Acropora coral and
will also do well if they can find other hiding places.
Also known as Apogon leptacanthus.
These fish have blue markings on their sides, but there is some variation in how clear these are.
Cardinalfish come in many different shapes and colours, generally they are well suited for aquaria.
Cardinalfish have a large mouth and a big appetite, take this into account with feeding the other fish. These fish typically live off of Artemia, Mysis and krill. In the aquarium they will eat anything they can.
They will sometimes eat small shrimps and fish, so do be aware of this, but it is not normally a problem.
It is possible to keep several species together, if space allows. Some species will form small shoals. They are normally peaceful towards other fish, but will sometimes fight among themselves if there isn't sufficient space or food.
Many species are nocturnal and will therefore often seek a hiding place during the day. This can be between stones, SPS corals and, in some cases, in an anemone and between spines of Sea urchins.
Cardinalfish are a good choice if ones wishes to attempt to start a breeding tank.
| Aquarium trade | Yes |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and Mozambique Island (Ref. 4329) to Samoa and Tonga, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to New Caledonia; throughout Micronesia. |
| English common names |
Threadifn cardinalfish Threadfin cardinalfish Long-spine cardinalfish |
Scott W. Michael. 2001. Basslets, Dottybacks & Hawkfishes: v. 2 (Reef Fishes) - TFH Publications / Microcosm Ltd. - (English)
Bob Fenner. Cardinalfishes, Family Apogonidae, Pt. 1, Pt. 2 - Wet Web Media - (English)