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Gilbert's cardinalfish (Zoramia gilberti) — Apogonidae

Gilbert's cardinalfish

Zoramia gilberti
Family: Apogonidae

The Gilbert's cardinalfish (Zoramia gilberti) is a saltwater fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
5.5 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
2.0–10.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

Gilbert's cardinalfish is a small cardinalfish (Apogonidae) from shallow, sheltered reef water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a slender, almost transparent body with large eyes and a faint sheen. As a nocturnal fish it forms dense, glassy schools by day among branching coral and swarms out at night to eat small zooplankton. The male broods the eggs in his mouth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Gilbert's cardinalfish?

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

Where does the Gilbert's cardinalfish live?

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

How big does the Gilbert's cardinalfish get?

The Gilbert's cardinalfish grows to a maximum of about 6 cm.

Is the Gilbert's cardinalfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Gilbert's cardinalfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Gilbert's cardinalfish edible?

Yes, the Gilbert's cardinalfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Gilberts glaskardinaalbaars sourced
English name
Gilbert's cardinalfish sourced
Scientific name
Zoramia gilberti
Family
Apogonidae
Other names
Gilbert's cardinalfish verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
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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