Pearl Cardinalfish (Apogon margaritophorus) Care Guide
Apogon margaritophorus is a small nocturnal cardinalfish of shallow Western Pacific coral reefs, a mouthbrooder kept in peaceful marine aquaria.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Apogon margaritophorus is a small marine cardinalfish of the family Apogonidae, described by Bleeker in 1855. FishBase treats it under the current valid name Ostorhinchus margaritophorus and reports it from shallow coral reefs of the Western Central Pacific. It is a reef-associated, nocturnal species reaching about 6.5 cm in total length.
Taxonomy
- Family: Apogonidae
- Genus: Apogon
- Scientific name: Apogon margaritophorus
- Current valid name (FishBase): Ostorhinchus margaritophorus (Bleeker, 1855)
Habitat
According to FishBase, the species occurs across the Indo-Malay Archipelago to the Solomon Islands at depths of roughly 1 to 5 m. It inhabits shallow coral reefs around lagoons and sheltered bays, where small groups often shelter near long-spined sea urchins or large anemones in seagrass.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 200 L
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- GH: 8-12 °dGH
- Group size: at least 3 individuals
- Lifespan: 3-8 years
Diet
The species is carnivorous. As a nocturnal cardinalfish it feeds on small invertebrates; in the aquarium it accepts meaty marine foods offered around dusk to match its natural feeding rhythm.
Compatibility
This is a peaceful, schooling species that occupies the middle water column and shelters by day. It suits calm marine communities with clownfish, tangs, wrasses and gobies, and should not be combined with large predators such as lionfish.
Breeding
FishBase records the species as a paternal mouthbrooder with distinct pairing during courtship and spawning; the male incubates the eggs in his mouth until the larvae hatch.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2009), as reported by FishBase.
Apogon margaritophorus Breeding Guide
Overview
Apogon margaritophorus (treated by FishBase as Ostorhinchus margaritophorus), the pearly-lined or red-striped cardinalfish, is a small member of the family Apogonidae reaching about 6.5 cm total length. It occurs in the western central Pacific from the Indo-Malay Archipelago to the Solomon Islands, on shallow coral reefs around lagoons and sheltered bays at depths of 1 to 5 m, often in small groups sheltering near long-spined urchins or large anemones. Like other cardinalfishes it is a paternal mouthbrooder.
Sexing
As in other cardinalfishes, mature males have a larger jaw and longer head to hold the egg mass during incubation, the most reliable distinguishing trait. Outside the breeding period the sexes are otherwise similar, so the male is usually identified when seen brooding.
Conditioning
This small carnivore conditions on a varied diet of small meaty foods reflecting its natural prey. Keeping a small group encourages a compatible pair to form. A mature reef offering urchin or anemone cover, as used in the wild, helps the fish settle and reach breeding condition.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
FishBase records distinct pairing during courtship and spawning for this species. After pairing, the female releases eggs that the male takes into his mouth and fertilises, forming a cohesive egg mass that he then broods.
Egg & Fry Care
The male incubates the egg ball orally and does not feed while brooding, a pattern shared across the family. On release the young enter a pelagic larval phase and require small live first foods, so grow-out is best done in a dedicated larval system rather than the display tank.
Common Challenges
Keeping the brooding male undisturbed so he retains the clutch, and feeding the small pelagic larvae through their first-food stage, are the principal challenges. As with other small cardinalfishes, larval feeding rather than spawning is the limiting step.