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Pajama Cardinalfish
Cardinalfish

Pajama Cardinalfish

Sphaeramia nematoptera

A charming, cartoonish cardinalfish — silver front, a black midriff band, and a spotted orange rear — that hovers placidly in the open water and comes alive at dusk. It is peaceful and community-safe, best kept as a small group of five or more (odd threes and fours tend to bicker as they pair off), and reef-safe with corals. Watch it only around the very smallest ornamental shrimp, which a hungry adult may treat as food.

Temperament
Peaceful
Max size
3.1"
Min tank
20 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Carnivore
Zone
Mid-water, Open water
Best in a group of 5+.
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Tankmates

How Pajama Cardinalfish gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Maroon ClownfishMaroon Clownfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Purple TangPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Antennata LionfishAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Domino DamselDomino Damsel (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Marine BettaMarine Betta has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Six-Line SoapfishSix-Line Soapfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Painted FrogfishPainted Frogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Dogface PufferDogface Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Porcupine PufferPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Banggai CardinalfishBoth are peaceful cardinalfish, but a lone Pajama tends to clash with a Banggai shoal — same family, same hovering spot, same claim on it.Sailfin TangSailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Red Coris WrasseRed Coris Wrasse (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Convict TangConvict Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Emperor AngelfishEmperor Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Regal AngelfishRegal Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Achilles TangAchilles Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Naso TangNaso Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Scopas TangScopas Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Queen AngelfishQueen Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Blueface AngelfishBlueface Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Chevron TangChevron Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Mimic TangMimic Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Crosshatch TriggerfishCrosshatch Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Niger TriggerfishNiger Triggerfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Threadfin ButterflyfishThreadfin Butterflyfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Majestic AngelfishMajestic Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Blonde Naso TangBlonde Naso Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Desjardini Sailfin TangDesjardini Sailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Orange Shoulder TangOrange Shoulder Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.