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Pink cardinalfish (Apogon pacificus) — Apogonidae

Pink cardinalfish

Apogon pacificus
Family: Apogonidae
LC · Least Concern

The Pink cardinalfish (Apogon pacificus) is a saltwater fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 10 cm.

Length
10 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–30.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Eastern Pacific
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

The pink cardinalfish is a small cardinalfish from the eastern Pacific, off the west coast of Central America. The species grows to about 10 cm and has a pinkish to reddish body with large eyes. As a nocturnal reef fish it shelters by day in crevices and caves and hunts small zooplankton and crustaceans at night. Like other cardinalfishes the male broods the eggs in its mouth. The fish is harmless to humans. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Pink cardinalfish?

The Pink cardinalfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly pink-purple and shows a plain pattern. Large eyes; the male broods eggs in its mouth

Where does the Pink cardinalfish live?

The Pink cardinalfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Eastern Pacific

How big does the Pink cardinalfish get?

The Pink cardinalfish grows to a maximum of about 10 cm.

Is the Pink cardinalfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Pink 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.

Is the Pink cardinalfish edible?

The Pink cardinalfish is not usually eaten.

More photos

Pink cardinalfish (Apogon pacificus) — Apogonidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Álvaro San José Elizundia, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Pink cardinalfish (Apogon pacificus) — Apogonidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Alberto Alcalá, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Pink cardinalfish (Apogon pacificus) — Apogonidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) keesgroenendijk, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Pink cardinalfish (Apogon pacificus) — Apogonidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) keesgroenendijk, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Pink cardinalfish verified
Scientific name
Apogon pacificus
Family
Apogonidae
Other names
Pink cardinalfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
10.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Pink / purple inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
30.0 verified
Natural range
Eastern Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small zooplankton and crustaceans inferred
Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Nocturnal reef cardinalfish; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Large eyes; the male broods eggs in its mouth sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Not a target species for angling; at most an incidental catch or usable as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
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 Apogon

More from the family Apogonidae

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