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Bay cardinalfish (Foa brachygramma) — Apogonidae

Bay cardinalfish

Foa brachygramma
Family: Apogonidae
LC · Least Concern

The Bay cardinalfish (Foa brachygramma) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
6.4 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Depth
0.0–134.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The weed cardinalfish is a cardinalfish (Apogonidae) endemic to the Hawaiian Islands in the central Pacific. The species is small and has a stocky, translucent, brownish-speckled body with large eyes, well camouflaged among vegetation. It lives among seagrass, heavy algal growth and rubble of shallow, sheltered areas over sandy bottoms. Nocturnally it hunts small zooplankton and small invertebrates. The male broods the eggs in his mouth. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bay cardinalfish?

The Bay cardinalfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Bay cardinalfish live?

The Bay cardinalfish lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Bay cardinalfish get?

The Bay cardinalfish grows to a maximum of about 6 cm.

Is the Bay cardinalfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Bay cardinalfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Bay cardinalfish edible?

The Bay cardinalfish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Wier-kardinaalbaars sourced
English name
Bay cardinalfish verified
Scientific name
Foa brachygramma
Family
Apogonidae
Other names
Bay cardinalfish; Common cardinal; Estuarine cardinal; Foa verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
6.4 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
134.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Foa

More from the family Apogonidae

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