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Arrow cardinalfish (Rhabdamia gracilis) — Apogonidae

Arrow cardinalfish

Rhabdamia gracilis
Family: Apogonidae

The Arrow cardinalfish (Rhabdamia gracilis) is a saltwater fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 7 cm.

Length
7.4 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
3.0–91.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless

Description

The arrow cardinalfish is a small, slender cardinalfish (Apogonidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 7 cm and has a translucent, light-pink body with large eyes. Unlike many cardinalfish it swarms by day in dense schools above coral heads and crevices; it eats small zooplankton. The male broods the eggs in his mouth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Arrow cardinalfish?

The Arrow cardinalfish has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly pink-purple.

Where does the Arrow cardinalfish live?

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

How big does the Arrow cardinalfish get?

The Arrow cardinalfish grows to a maximum of about 7 cm.

Is the Arrow cardinalfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Arrow cardinalfish is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Pijl-kardinaalbaars sourced
English name
Arrow cardinalfish sourced
Scientific name
Rhabdamia gracilis
Family
Apogonidae
Other names
Cardinal fish; Graceful cardinalfish; Luminous cardinalfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
7.4 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Pink / purple sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
3.0 verified
Max depth (m)
91.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
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 Rhabdamia

More from the family Apogonidae

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