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Fragile cardinalfish (Zoramia fragilis) — Apogonidae

Fragile cardinalfish

Zoramia fragilis
Family: Apogonidae

The Fragile cardinalfish (Zoramia fragilis) is a saltwater fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
5.5 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–15.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The fragile cardinalfish is a small cardinalfish (Apogonidae) from shallow reef water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 5 cm and has a stocky, strongly translucent, silvery body with large eyes and a faint sheen. By day it hovers in loose schools among branching coral and sheltered lagoons; by night it snaps at small zooplankton. The male broods the eggs in his mouth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Fragile cardinalfish?

The Fragile cardinalfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Fragile cardinalfish live?

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

How big does the Fragile cardinalfish get?

The Fragile cardinalfish grows to a maximum of about 6 cm. On average the species is around 4 cm.

Is the Fragile cardinalfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Fragile cardinalfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Fragile cardinalfish edible?

Yes, the Fragile cardinalfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Fragiele kardinaalbaars sourced
English name
Fragile cardinalfish sourced
Scientific name
Zoramia fragilis
Family
Apogonidae
Other names
Fragile cardinalfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
5.5 verified
Average length (cm)
4.3 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
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 Zoramia

More from the family Apogonidae

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