🐠 Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
A Golden Head With Bright Red Eyes and Reddish Polka Dots • A Paternal Mouthbrooder Breeding Readily in Home Tanks • Naturally Social, Best Kept in a Group
 
📋 The Pajama Cardinalfish, also known as the Spotted or Polkadot Cardinalfish, has a whimsical, "designed by committee" appearance, a golden-yellow head with bright red eyes, a dark vertical band at mid-body, and a silvery rear half scattered with reddish polka dots.
It comes from coral-rich lagoons and reef slopes across the Western Pacific, south to the Great Barrier Reef, naturally forming loose aggregations among coral branches by day, dispersing to feed near the bottom at night. Every Pajama Cardinalfish we ship is feeding well.
This is a nocturnal species, most active after dark, and viewing under dim lighting or moonlights shows off its natural behaviour best. A real highlight of this species: males are paternal mouthbrooders, carrying fertilized eggs in their mouth for around 2-3 weeks until hatching, making it one of the more approachable marine fish for hobbyists interested in captive breeding. It's largely reef safe, though very small ornamental shrimp, copepods, and shrimp fry can occasionally be at risk. It does best kept in a group, ideally 5 or more in a suitably sized tank, and pairs will form naturally over time. It reaches up to 8cm, so a 76L tank suits it well, larger for a group.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Whimsical Polka-Dot Pattern: Golden head, red eyes, and dotted rear half
🌙 Nocturnal: Most active after dark; best viewed under dim lighting
🐣 A Paternal Mouthbrooder: Males carry eggs in their mouth for 2-3 weeks
🌿 Largely Reef Safe: Very small shrimp and copepods can occasionally be at risk
👫 Naturally Social: Best kept in a group of 5 or more where space allows