Home · Apogonidae · Mini cardinalfish
Mini cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus neotes) — Apogonidae

Mini cardinalfish

Ostorhinchus neotes
Family: Apogonidae

The Mini cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus neotes) is a saltwater fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 3 cm.

Length
2.7 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
3.0–25.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Australia, Solomon Is., Indonesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and others

Want the complete picture on the Mini cardinalfish?

Get the app

Description

The Mini cardinalfish is a cardinalfish (Apogonidae) from shallow reef water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 8 cm and has a stocky, very small and translucent silvery body with large eyes and two dorsal fins. As a nocturnal fish it shelters by day among coral and in crevices and hunts small zooplankton and small crustaceans by night. The male broods the eggs in his mouth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Mini cardinalfish?

The Mini cardinalfish has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Mini cardinalfish live?

The Mini cardinalfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Oceania: Australia, Solomon Is., Indonesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and others

How big does the Mini cardinalfish get?

The Mini cardinalfish grows to a maximum of about 3 cm.

Is the Mini cardinalfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Mini cardinalfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Mini cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus neotes) — Apogonidae — 2
Williams, Jeffrey T. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Mini cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus neotes) — Apogonidae — 3
Randall, John E. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Mini cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus neotes) — Apogonidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) BDBishop, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Mini cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus neotes) — Apogonidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Sue Churchill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Mini cardinalfish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Mini cardinalfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Mini cardinalfish sourced
Scientific name
Ostorhinchus neotes
Family
Apogonidae
Other names
Mini cardinalfish; Neotenous cardinalfish; Larval cardinalfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
2.7 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
3.0 verified
Max depth (m)
25.0 verified
Natural range
Oceania: Australia, Solomon Is., Indonesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Ostorhinchus

Aroubi cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus aroubiensis) — Apogonidae
Aroubi cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus aroubiensis
Apogonidae
 Ninestripe cardinal (Ostorhinchus taeniophorus) — Apogonidae
Ninestripe cardinal
Ostorhinchus taeniophorus
Apogonidae
 Bluestripe cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus oxygrammus) — Apogonidae
Bluestripe cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus oxygrammus
Apogonidae
 Palebar cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus pallidofasciatus) — Apogonidae
Palebar cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus pallidofasciatus
Apogonidae
 Broadstripe cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus angustatus) — Apogonidae
Broadstripe cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus angustatus
Apogonidae
 Cavite cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus cavitensis) — Apogonidae
Cavite cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus cavitensis
Apogonidae

More from the family Apogonidae

Eightspine cardinalfish (Neamia octospina) — Apogonidae
Eightspine cardinalfish
Neamia octospina
Apogonidae
 Broadbanded cardinalfish (Apogon posterofasciatus) — Apogonidae
Broadbanded cardinalfish
Apogon posterofasciatus
Apogonidae
 Blanchard's perchelet (Glossamia aprion) — Apogonidae
Blanchard's perchelet
Glossamia aprion
Apogonidae
 Amboina cardinalfish (Fibramia amboinensis) — Apogonidae
Amboina cardinalfish
Fibramia amboinensis
Apogonidae
 Aqaba cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus lachneri) — Apogonidae
Aqaba cardinalfish
Cheilodipterus lachneri
Apogonidae
 Aroubi cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus aroubiensis) — Apogonidae
Aroubi cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus aroubiensis
Apogonidae
 Banda cardinalfish (Nectamia bandanensis) — Apogonidae
Banda cardinalfish
Nectamia bandanensis
Apogonidae
 Banded cardinalfish (Pseudamia zonata) — Apogonidae
Banded cardinalfish
Pseudamia zonata
Apogonidae
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Mini cardinalfish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Mini cardinalfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Mini cardinalfish? Get the app