Finally scored some nice orange-lined cardinals!

[Aquabucket]

Been trying for a while now but they were always out of stock. Now I have 3 in my 40 breeder and they are doing very well. They have very large mouths for such a small fish and had no problem standing up to my Blue Orangetail Damsel. The Damsel will even school up with them during feeding now.

They only school up during feeding and all night after the lights are out. They do not hide during the day. Each one will find a shady spot under an overhang or coral and hover below it all day long. Occasionally they dart out to investigate small particles flowing through out the tank. Once one darts out the other 2 typically follow. They are a pretty cool little fish to have in a small system but don't expect them to be schooling all the time. I just hope I don't lose one during a spawning event.

Anyone else have experience with these guys please chime in and show some pics!!!

Here is a stock photo for now (mine are a bit more colorful and have irredescent blue stripes along there heads)

Southern Orangelined Cardinalfish ~ Apogon properupta

I am borrowing a camera soon and will post some pics then.

 

[Bri Guy]

Neat fish! do they stay small like the other cardinals?

And another question, I see you have a Yellow Watchman Goby, Ive heard that Gobys are jumpers and should have a lid on the tank. Do you have a lid on yours?
Because my light (Coralife PC fixture) restricts me from having a lid but I still wanted a goby or jawfish, some type of fish to mix up the sand any suggestions?

 

[Aquabucket]

They were actually miss-labeled by the wholesaler. I am am even more pleased to learn that I have yellow-lined cardinals ~ Apogon cyanosoma. They are schooling a lot more now. A. cyanosoma are more social than the other cardinals and rarely exceed 2" in captivity.

Here is a stock photo:

I added a blue cold cathode moonlight (great actinic effect) and they are fun to watch at night and stay schooled up pretty much all the time after the main tank lights are out. During the day they school about 60-70% of the time now.

My Blue Damsel just swims along with them. I am very happy with the way they all get along so far!

As for the watchman I do have the tank covered so no worries there. The goby will also swim along side the other fish during feeding so I am fortunate everyone is getting along nicely!

Sleeper gobies are the best at sifting sand but they can be jumpers as well.