Kaudern’s Cardinal
Common Names: Kaudern’s Cardinal, Longfin Cardinalfish, Banggai Cardinalfish
Scientific Name: Pterapogon kauderni
Family: Apogonidae
Maximum Size: 3 inches
Life expectancy: 5 years
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 78°F
pH Range: 8.1 - 8.4
Sg: 1.020 - 1.025
Water hardness: 8 - 12
Temperament: Semi-Aggressive
Origin: Indonesia
Aquarium Setup:
The Kaudern’s Cardinal normally doesn’t bother corals and plants and can be kept in marine setups. They like lots of caves for hiding and claiming as territories. They love live rock and won’t bother any coral you may have in the aquarium.
Diet:
Kaudern Cardinal’s are carnivores and need a balanced diet consisting of meaty foods. They can be fed bloodworms and any type of marine flesh such as shrimp, fish and clams as well as pellets and flake foods.
Tank Mates/Community:
Cardinal’s can be tanked together as long as the aquarium is large enough for them to have their own space. Cramping too many into a small tank can result in aggression.
Although semi-aggressive, they can be housed with almost any other fish of the same temperament. Tank mates should also be kept in the same size range as the Cardinal’s.
Behavior:
Kaudern’s Cardinal’s are very slow swimming fish that often seem to almost just be floating along. They differ in personalities as some will be more active during the day, while others prefer to come out at night.
Color:
The Cardinal is a very sought after fish with hobbyists and is becoming close to being placed on the endangered list due to over collection. The Cardinal’s silvery body has dramatic, black vertical stripes and is covered with white spots.
The spots are translucent on the silver body, but are more noticeable on the black fins. The Cardinal’s long dorsal and anal fins are complimented by a tasseled dorsal fin. The caudal fin is deeply forked giving this fish a elegant appearance.
Breeding:
Kaudren Cradinal’s are one of the easiest saltwater fish to breed in the aquarium. This species are mouth brooders which contributes to the survival of the fry.
Once breeding has occurred the males mouth will bulge at the jaw line and they won’t eat anything. The male will carry the eggs for 20 days or even longer, before they hatch.
Once hatched and released, the young should be removed from the tank until they’ve grown large enough not to be eaten. However, a Long Spined Urchin added to the tank will give the young fry a hiding place for.
It is difficult to tell the males from the females, if breeding is planned buy several and let them pair off. Once a pair has formed, the male may begin to pick on the remaining fish. Unless you have a large tank, you may have to separate them.
