Care
The Gold-line Cardinalfishis a very popular choice with marine hobbyists on account of its outstanding colouration,hardiness, and peacefulness towards other fishes. In the wild, this speciesinhabits clearwater sheltered lagoons and seaward reefs, where it may be foundin large aggregations under ledges, in caves, or even amongst the long spinesof some sea urchins. The aquarium should be aquascaped with plenty of liverock, creating lots of shady hidey holes and overhangs (do ensure these aresecure). The more places of safety available to these fish, the more you willsee them out in the open, as they will learn that they can quickly retreat ifnecessary. Gold-line Cardinalfish are a shoaling species and really shouldbe maintained in small groups of at least 5-7 specimens, introducedsimultaneously. Keeping these fish in decent numbers will not only make thefish less nervous, but will also result in a more effective, natural-lookingdisplay. It is important that tankmates are of a peaceful nature; they shouldnot include large, carnivorous, or intimidating species (the latter which mayprevent the cardinals from feeding). Gold-line Cardinalfish are best keptin a reef situation, but not with any small ornamental shrimps; however, unlikemany of their relatives, this species is less of a threat towards other smallfishes and crustaceans. As with many cardinals, these large-eyed fish areactive during the evening/night, and a period of blue moon lighting will enableyou to observe their antics more closely after the main tank lights have beenswitched off. May also be seen on sale as Orangestriped Cardinalfish.
Feeding
Offer a variety of meaty itemssuch as Mysis shrimp, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, finely choppedkrill/cockle/clam meat etc. Feed small amounts 3 times per day, with at leastone of the feeds after lights out.
Breeding
Gold-line Cardinalfishform distinct pairs during courtship and spawning. The male fish will mouthbroodthe egg mass until hatching (reported to be around 7 days). The larvae are thenreleased into the water column, where they develop for some weeks beforesettling out of the plankton. Once released, there is no further parental care.
