Apogon margaritophorus is a cardinalfish by many names; the checkered cardinalfish, ochre-striped cardinal, the margarita cardinalfish and now you can also call them captive-bred. Sustainable Aquatics just announced the release of their captive bred specimens of the checkered cardinalfish which is a small and colorful species which is a picture perfect reef fish.
Coming from a broad region of Indonesia, the imports of the checkered cardinalfish are sometimes sporadic, a few here and few there, making it sometimes a challenge to assemble a nice schooling group of them at one time. Now that Sustainable Aquatics is offering up this popular little reef gem captive bred, you’ll be able to assemble 6, 12 or more of Apogon margaritophorus into a perfect school for your reef or fish tank.
These cardinals have a long body with a rounded midsection and a pointed face. Their body is pearl-white with horizontal stripes that vary in color from copper hued to bold red-orange. In the center of their body, two horizontal lines are connected with short vertical bars giving them a very unique appearance.
Like most cardinals, the margarita cardinalfish prefers to be kept in small groups. They will often form pairs within these groups and will readily spawn in captivity. This fish will get along with other peaceful tank mates but should not be kept with very aggressive fish, as their small size makes them vulnerable to predation. Apogon margaritophorus remains fairly small, reaching a maximum length of 2.5 inches. It is naturally found in the Western Central Pacific from Indonesia to the Solomon Islands and the broodstock at Sustainable Aquatics originates from Bali.
