All fish / Apogonidae

Fragile Cardinalfish

Zoramia fragilis

Also known as fragile cardinal, fragile cardinalfish, blue-eye cardinal, apogon fragilis, yellow-tail cardinalfish, スカシテンジクダイ, capungan, 脆弱天竺鲷

This is a small, largely see-through cardinalfish. It has a bright blue ring around the eye, iridescent blue lines on the head and a small dark spot at the base of the tail. In the wild it hovers in dense groups around branching coral. Keepers like it because it is peaceful, hardy and safe with corals, and it looks good in a loose group in a reef tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4.5 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

100 litres

Keep as

Group of 5 or more

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, brine shrimp, copepods and small frozen or pellet foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa to Samoa and north to the Ryukyu Islands

Breeding

Males brood the eggs in their mouths. Pairs sometimes spawn in captivity, but rearing the tiny pelagic larvae on rotifers and copepods is difficult.

Good to know

Its small size makes it easy prey for large or predatory tankmates. Do not confuse it with Zoramia leptacantha, which looks very similar. The name 'Yes[49]:133' on sale listings is a data error, not a real trade name.