The pajama cardinalfish (scientific name: Sphaeramia nematoptera) is a fascinating little species of cardinalfish and a member of the Apogonidae family. The cardinalfish family comprises ray-finned fishes found in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans and are primarily marine, with some exceptional species found in freshwater and brackish water habitats.Known for forming social hierarchy within groups, the pajama cardinalfish is a small and colorful aquarium favorite with a peaceful nature and is quite popular among community and reef aquarium hobbyists alike. A unique-looking and distinctive fish species, it has typical reddish-orange or purplish polka dots on its body and large, bright orange eyes that make it an attractive aquarium addition.What’s more, the pajama cardinalfish is not even an aggressive fish. So, it will blend and get along pretty well with other fish companions within the aquarium. Moreover, pajama cardinals are a hardy saltwater fish species that can easily acclimatize to life in a tank or aquarium, provided the minimum tank water parameters are consistent. Finally, pajama cardinalfish are nocturnal hunters in nature but will remain quite active during daylight hours when kept in an aquarium or tank.Read on if you want to know more about the pajama cardinals, including pajama cardinalfish breeding, pajama cardinalfish care, and the mouthbrooding pajama cardinalfish behavior.If you like this article on the pajama spotted cardinalfish, do check out our interesting content on the Monkfish and Rainbow Trout.
Fun Pajama Cardinalfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Crustaceans
What do they eat? Carnivores
Average litter size? N/A
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 3 in (8 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Greenish-yellow, black, reddish-orange
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? N/a
What is their conservation status? N/A
Where you’ll find them? Lagoons, Coral Reefs, Sheltered Bays
Locations Indian Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Sphaeramia
Class Actinopterygii
Family Apogonidae
Pajama Cardinalfish Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a pajama cardinalfish?Pajama cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera) is a saltwater fish species of the cardinalfish family Apogonidae.What class of animal does a pajama cardinalfish belong to?Pajama cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera) is a member of the class Actinopterygii which includes all species of ray-finned fishes.How many pajama cardinalfishes are there in the world?The exact population size of the pajama cardinals is not available.Where does a pajama cardinalfish live?The pajama cardinalfish is a saltwater fish species that mostly live in ocean and sea habitats. The species particularly prefers coral reefs, which offer safe hiding places for the fish when any potential predator is near. This marine fish can also be found in lagoons and sheltered bays. In addition, this cardinalfish species can thrive well in an aquarium or tank with optimum care level and water conditions.What is a pajama cardinalfish’s habitat?The natural distribution range of pajama cardinals includes parts of the Indian Ocean and much of the western Pacific Ocean. The range stretches from Java in Indonesia to the Fiji archipelago in the South Pacific and the Ryuku Islands of Japan to the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland in northern Australia. In nature, this species of fish will be mostly found near corals or cave structures where they can retreat in case of threats from potential predators.When kept in aquariums or tanks, the pajama cardinal has a very easy care level and requires suitable water conditions to thrive. A minimum tank or aquarium size of 30 gallons (114 l) is essential. Being peaceful in nature, these fishes are suitable for life in both community and reef aquariums but have an absolute requirement of abundant hiding places within the enclosure. Optimum temperature conditions range between 24-28 degrees Celsius (75.2-82.4 degrees F) with pH 8.1-8.4. Coral and live rock decorations with peaceful tank mates provide an ideal aquarium habitat for the fish.Who do pajama cardinalfish live with?Pajama cardinals are schooling fish that exhibit a strict hierarchy within groups. In the wild, the fishes separate from their groups and hunt for food alone. When kept in an aquarium or tank, these fishes can be kept singly, in small groups, or in larger schools. The fish will blend in well with peaceful tank mates of similar size. They do not use aggression to exert supremacy over other members of their own kind, a rare quality among schooling fish. However, owing to their peaceful disposition, the Pajama Cardinals must not be housed along with larger and aggressive fish species. The Cardinals are slow-moving in nature and may easily fall prey to aggression-prone fish species if kept in the same aquarium.How long does a pajama cardinalfish live?The exact lifespan of the pajama cardinalfish is not available. However, according to most sources, the lifespan of this fish may vary between 2-5 years or more.How do they reproduce?Not much is known about the marine ajama cardinal’s reproductive biology in the wild. However, the male fish of the species exhibits a unique feature of mouthbrooding whereby the male holds the eggs in its mouth to keep the eggs safe and healthy until they hatch. Once fertilized, the male takes up the eggs in its mouth and spits out the juvenile fish once the eggs hatch. Breeding the pajama cardinal in aquariums is relatively easy, but it is not a popular choice for breeding like the Banggai Cardinal.What is their conservation status?The conservation status of the pajama cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera) has not been evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.Pajama Cardinalfish Fun FactsWhat do pajama cardinalfish look like?The pajama cardinal is a small-sized fish with bold and bright coloration. It stands out due to the characteristic pattern of polka dots on the posterior part of the body near the tail. Juvenile fish usually have black polka dots, which turn purplish or reddish-orange as the fish grows. The face is greenish-yellow with large and brightly colored orange eyes suited to the nocturnal lifestyle of the fish. A dark and broad vertical band runs across the middle of the body from the first dorsal fin to the pectoral fin. There is not much morphological difference between males and females, except that males may become larger when they are mouthbrooding the eggs.How cute are they?The large eyes, bright coloration, and unique polka dot pattern make the Pajama Cardinals look very cute and adorable.How do they communicate?Not much is known about how the Pajama Cardinals communicate, except that they are of a peaceful demeanor and will be harassed to the point of death if kept with other species of aggressive fish.How big is a pajama cardinalfish?Pajama cardinal grows to a maximum size of about 3 in (8 cm) and requires a tank of size 30 gallons (114 l) or larger. It is about the same size as the Banggai Cardinal (Pterapogon kauderni).How fast can a pajama cardinalfish swim?The exact swimming speed of the pajama cardinals is not available. However, these nocturnal fishes are quite slow swimmers.How much does a pajama cardinalfish weigh?The weight range of the pajama cardinalfish is not available.What are the male and female names of the species?Cardinalfish males and females do not have distinct names.What would you call a baby pajama cardinalfish?A baby pajama cardinalfish would be called a fry.What do they eat?In their native coral reef habitats, the pajama cardinalfishes’ primary food comprises small crustaceans. The fish is active at night and hunts during that time. When kept in an aquarium, the fish can be given a meaty diet of shrimps like brine shrimp and Mysis shrimp. Apart from a meaty diet, the fish can also be given a diet of pellets, frozen food, and flake food.Are they dangerous?No, the pajama cardinalfish is a peaceful and non-aggressive species.Would they make a good pet?Yes, the pajama cardinalfish makes an amazing pet due to their easy maintenance, simple food habits, and hardy nature.Did you know…Aggressive fish species that are not suitable as the pajama cardinal’s tank mates include sharks, eels, triggers, groupers, lionfish, hamlets, and other large fish species of hostile temperament.The black vertical band on the body of the pajama cardinal helps the fish to blend in amidst coral structures and sea urchins.If you are looking to buy the pajama cardinal for your aquarium, you can get a pair, but the fish are happier in larger groups of at least six members.How did the pajama cardinalfish get its name, and what other names does it have?Pajama cardinal gets its name from the characteristic polka dots on its body that resemble pajama bottoms. Other names for this fish are Polkadot cardinalfish, coral cardinalfish, and spotted cardinalfish.Are pajama cardinalfish endangered?The pajama cardinal is not endangered. Since the species is widely used as an aquarium fish, its population can be considered to be stable.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these barracuda facts or koi facts pages.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Pajama cardinalfish coloring pages.
What type of animal is a pajama cardinalfish?
Pajama cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera) is a saltwater fish species of the cardinalfish family Apogonidae.
Fun Pajama Cardinalfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Crustaceans
What do they eat? Carnivores
Average litter size? N/A
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 3 in (8 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Greenish-yellow, black, reddish-orange
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? N/a
What is their conservation status? N/A
Where you’ll find them? Lagoons, Coral Reefs, Sheltered Bays
Locations Indian Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Sphaeramia
Class Actinopterygii
Family Apogonidae
Fun Pajama Cardinalfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Crustaceans
What do they eat? Carnivores
Average litter size? N/A
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 3 in (8 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Greenish-yellow, black, reddish-orange
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? N/a
What is their conservation status? N/A
Where you’ll find them? Lagoons, Coral Reefs, Sheltered Bays
Locations Indian Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Sphaeramia
Class Actinopterygii
Family Apogonidae
Fun Pajama Cardinalfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Crustaceans
What do they eat? Carnivores
Average litter size? N/A
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 3 in (8 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Greenish-yellow, black, reddish-orange
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? N/a
What is their conservation status? N/A
Where you’ll find them? Lagoons, Coral Reefs, Sheltered Bays
Locations Indian Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Sphaeramia
Class Actinopterygii
Family Apogonidae
Fun Pajama Cardinalfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Crustaceans
What do they eat? Carnivores
Average litter size? N/A
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 3 in (8 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Greenish-yellow, black, reddish-orange
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? N/a
What is their conservation status? N/A
Where you’ll find them? Lagoons, Coral Reefs, Sheltered Bays
Locations Indian Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Sphaeramia
Class Actinopterygii
Family Apogonidae
What do they prey on? Crustaceans
What do they eat? Carnivores
Average litter size? N/A
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 3 in (8 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Greenish-yellow, black, reddish-orange
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? N/a
What is their conservation status? N/A
Where you’ll find them? Lagoons, Coral Reefs, Sheltered Bays
Locations Indian Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Sphaeramia
Class Actinopterygii
Family Apogonidae
What do they prey on? Crustaceans
What do they eat? Carnivores
Average litter size? N/A
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 3 in (8 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Greenish-yellow, black, reddish-orange
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? N/a
What is their conservation status? N/A
What do they prey on?
Crustaceans
What do they eat?
Carnivores
Average litter size?
N/A
How much do they weigh?
How long are they?
3 in (8 cm)
How tall are they?
What do they look like?
Greenish-yellow, black, reddish-orange
Skin Type
Scales
What were their main threats?
N/a
What is their conservation status?
Where you’ll find them? Lagoons, Coral Reefs, Sheltered Bays
Locations Indian Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Sphaeramia
Class Actinopterygii
Family Apogonidae
Where you’ll find them?
Lagoons, Coral Reefs, Sheltered Bays
Locations
Indian Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Sphaeramia
Kingdom
Animalia
Genus
Sphaeramia
Class Actinopterygii
Family Apogonidae
