Home · Apogonidae · Dhofar cardinalfish
Dhofar cardinalfish (Apogon dhofar) — Apogonidae

Dhofar cardinalfish

Apogon dhofar
Family: Apogonidae

The Dhofar cardinalfish (Apogon dhofar) is a saltwater fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 14 cm.

Length
14 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–10.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Dhofar cardinalfish is a cardinalfish (Apogonidae) from shallow reef water of the Arabian Sea off Oman. The species grows to about 8 cm and has a stocky, often reddish or semi-translucent body with large eyes and two dorsal fins. As a nocturnal fish it shelters by day in crevices, caves and under overhanging reef and hunts small zooplankton and small crustaceans by night. The male broods the eggs in his mouth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Dhofar cardinalfish?

The Dhofar cardinalfish has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly red-orange.

Where does the Dhofar cardinalfish live?

The Dhofar cardinalfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Dhofar cardinalfish get?

The Dhofar cardinalfish grows to a maximum of about 14 cm.

Is the Dhofar cardinalfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Dhofar cardinalfish is harmless to humans.

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →

All data

Identification

Dutch name
Dhofar-kardinaalbaars sourced
English name
Dhofar cardinalfish sourced
Scientific name
Apogon dhofar
Family
Apogonidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
14.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
10.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Apogon

More from the family Apogonidae

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →