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Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus fleurieu) — Apogonidae

Cardinalfish

Ostorhinchus fleurieu
Family: Apogonidae

The Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus fleurieu) is a brackish-water fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 14 cm.

Length
14.2 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
1.0–97.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Cardinalfish is a cardinalfish (Apogonidae) from shallow reef and lagoon water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 8 cm and has a stocky body with large eyes, two separate dorsal fins and often fine stripes or spots. As a nocturnal fish it shelters in crevices and among coral by day and hunts small plankton and crustaceans at night. The male broods the eggs in his mouth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Cardinalfish?

The Cardinalfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body and is mainly red-orange.

Where does the Cardinalfish live?

The Cardinalfish lives in brackish water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Cardinalfish get?

The Cardinalfish grows to a maximum of about 14 cm.

Is the Cardinalfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Cardinalfish is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Fleurieu-kardinaalbaars sourced
English name
Cardinalfish sourced
Scientific name
Ostorhinchus fleurieu
Family
Apogonidae
Other names
Bullseye cardinalfish; Cardinalfish; Flower cardinalfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
14.2 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
97.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Ostorhinchus

More from the family Apogonidae

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