🐠 Longspine Cardinalfish (Zoramia leptacantha)
A Delicate, Translucent Body With Iridescent Blue and Orange Bars • A True Shoaling Fish, Best in Groups of 10 or More • A Timid, Peaceful, Fully Reef-Safe Species
 
📋 The Longspine Cardinalfish, also known as the Threadfin Cardinalfish, has a delicate, slender, mostly transparent body with iridescent blue and orange bars across the head and front of the body, and a distinctive elongated, thread-like first dorsal fin ray.
It comes from a wide range across the Indo-Pacific, staying close to coral reefs, relying on the structure for both food and shelter from larger predators. Every Longspine Cardinalfish we ship is feeding well.
This species is a real shoaling fish in the wild, living in large natural groups, and needs to be kept in a group of at least 4, ideally 10 or more, to feel secure and thrive long-term; a single specimen or pair alone tends to become reclusive and a reluctant feeder, so we recommend purchasing this species in an appropriately sized group. This is a peaceful, nocturnal species that rests during the day and becomes more active foraging at night, though it adjusts well to daytime feeding in captivity. It's fully reef safe and, despite needing a real group to thrive, doesn't produce a particularly high bioload, making a shoal well suited to many reef tanks. It's also a timid species, so peaceful tankmates matter to prevent it from being bullied or outcompeted for food. It reaches up to 6cm, so a 115L tank suits a group well.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Translucent Body With Iridescent Blue and Orange: A delicate, elegant cardinalfish
🐠🐠 A Real Shoaling Requirement: Needs a group of at least 4, ideally 10+
🌿 Fully Reef Safe: Won't harm corals or invertebrates
🌙 Nocturnal: Adjusts well to daytime feeding in captivity
😌 Timid: Best kept with peaceful tankmates