Compatibility guide

Banggai Cardinalfish tank mates

What fish, coral, and inverts can live with the Banggai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni). Tank mate compatibility broken into good / caution / avoid buckets - tank size minimum: 30 gallons minimum.

✓ Compatible (good tank mates)

These species coexist well with the Banggai Cardinalfish in an appropriately-sized tank.

✓
Ocellaris Clownfish - Peaceful + different niche
✓
Royal Gramma - Different niche
✓
Firefish Goby - Different niche
✓
Pajama Cardinalfish - Peaceful schoolmate
✓
Cleaner shrimp - Will clean banggais
✓
Most reef-safe wrasses - Different niche
✓
Long-spine urchins - Banggais use the spines as cover - natural pairing

⚠ Caution (compatible with management)

Workable pairings if the tank is large enough or the introduction is staged correctly.

⚠
Multiple banggais without bonded pair - Aggression in groups beyond a pair - males kill each other
⚠
Six-line wrasse - Can harass slow-moving banggais
⚠
Yellow Tang - Tang aggression at feeding time

✕ Avoid (incompatible tank mates)

Don't combine these with the Banggai Cardinalfish. Outcome is usually death of one species or chronic stress.

✕
Lionfish - Predator - banggais are slow
✕
Triggers - Predator at adult size
✕
Large groupers / hawkfish - Slow banggais are easy prey

Stocking notes

Banggai cardinalfish are slow + peaceful. Captive-bred is the only ethical source (wild populations are CITES-listed). Best in a bonded pair or a school of 5+ in a 60+ gallon - 3-4 fish trigger conspecific aggression. The male mouthbroods eggs for 21 days.

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