Bangai Cardinal

About this fish

Bangai Cardinal (Pterapogon kauderni) is a cardinalfish bred and kept for the home saltwater aquarium. This calm, attractive fish is commonly used to add a peaceful, schooling-style presence around rockwork, where it can be observed hovering and picking at food as part of a compatible community tank.

Features:

• Peaceful temperament makes the Bangai Cardinal a good choice for many community setups
• Typically slow-moving and often seen hovering near live rock, which encourages natural behavior
• Often does well when kept in small groups, providing a more impressive display than solitary keeping
• Reef safe in practice with other peaceful tankmates
• Benefits from moderate water flow and access to shelter within the aquascape
• A straightforward feeding routine with marine frozen foods and small prepared foods supports consistent nutrition
• Arrives best with slow acclimation and a quiet place to settle into the tank

Specifications:

• Care level: Moderate (best for aquarists comfortable with regular feeding and stable salinity/temperature)
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Reef compatibility: Generally reef safe
• Preferred placement: Near rockwork with hiding/shelter
• Water flow: Moderate
• Diet: Frozen mysis, brine shrimp, and small pellets (typically once or twice daily)
• Adult size: About 4–5 cm (approx. 1.5–2 in)
• Temperature: ~24–27°C (75–81°F)
• pH: ~8.1–8.4
• Salinity: ~1.020–1.025 (specific gravity)
• Light: No special lighting requirements; tank conditions can be standard for a mixed reef/reef fish setup