All fish / Apogonidae

Blackbelt Cardinalfish

Taeniamia zosterophora

Also known as girdled cardinalfish, blackbelted cardinalfish, black belt cardinal, archamia zosterophora, apogon zosterophorus, blackbelt cardinal, オビイシモチ, 黑带天竺鲷

A small, translucent silvery cardinalfish with a broad black band across the middle of the body, a dark spot near the tail and fine blue lines through the eye. It is a calm, hardy fish that hovers in groups near branching corals or rockwork, so it suits peaceful reef tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

6 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

120 litres

Keep as

Group of 5 or more

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, brine shrimp, chopped seafood and small pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 6 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea to northern Australia and Melanesia

Breeding

The male broods the eggs in his mouth until they hatch. Spawning sometimes happens in aquariums, but raising the tiny planktonic larvae is difficult and rarely achieved.

Good to know

It is mostly active at dusk and is shy by day, so give it cover and avoid boisterous or predatory tankmates. Older books and sellers may still use the name Archamia zosterophora.