Pajama cardinalfish

Few reef fish look assembled from spare parts quite as successfully as the pajama cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera). A yellow face, a broad dark band across the middle, a red-spotted rear half and oversized eyes make it instantly recognisable. It comes from the western Pacific, where it hovers in loose groups among branching corals and sheltered lagoon habitat, largely inactive by day and more animated after dark.

Aquarium care

• Peaceful and slow-moving. It hovers rather than swims, and will not compete with fast, greedy tankmates.
• Shoals happily, and a small group looks far more natural than a single fish.
• A deliberate, slow feeder. Target feeding frozen mysis or similar helps make sure it actually gets a share.
• Wants shaded overhangs, branching structure or a coral thicket to loiter under.
• Most active in the evening; dimmer lighting periods often bring it out.
• Leaves corals alone.

It suits a calm reef aquarium with unhurried tankmates such as firefish, clownfish, small gobies and other placid species. Avoid housing it with fast feeders such as boisterous damsels or large wrasses, which will simply out-eat it. Stock rotates as shipments arrive; local pickup at our Lethbridge store. More options in saltwater fish.