Range: Western Pacific Ocean: East of Sulawesi in Indonesia around the Islands adjacent to Banggai (Banggai Island is off the eastern coast of Sulawesi)

Size: Up to 3 inches (7 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabit shallow coastal areas and seagrass beds

General Husbandry: Temperature range of 76 - 82°F (25 - 28°C) and natural diet consists mainly of small invertebrate. Adults form pairs within the groups and they are mainly nocturnal. It was originally described by Koumans in 1933 and rediscovered by Dr. Gerald Allen in 1995 and introduced to the public at the MACNA 95 conference. As the story goes, Dr. Gerald Allen and Roger Steele went to Banggai to checkout what was called an unusual cardinalfish by diver/adventurer Kal Müller. They took a flight to Luwuk, in central Sulawesi and then traveled another 10 hours by ferry to Banggai. They actually found these cardinalfishes under a dock near the towns waste outlet pipe. They noted that these fishes live among the spines of the Diadema setosum urchin in shallow seagrass beds, probably less than 6 feet.

It has also been reported that these fishes enter anemones, e.g., the sebae and long-tentacle anemones without incurring any damage. They are a mouthbrooder, with the male tending for the eggs and even holding the newly hatched young in the mouth for the first few weeks. At this time the female will chase away other fishes that get too close to the male. The fry are large enough to take newly hatched brine and rotifers.

If introduced in numbers, it is a peaceful species at first. Shortly thereafter they pair-up and start chasing others away from "their" territory. If more than a mated pair is to be maintained, it should be in an aquarium over 100 gallons. Difficult to sex, but the male may have a slightly longer second dorsal fin and a wider lower jaw. The female is larger than the male.

Very hardy and a very good fish-only and reef aquarium fish, however, should not be kept with belligerent tankmates, e.g., dottybacks, hawkfishes, and some damselfishes. Will eat most meaty foods, e.g., black worms, brine shrimp, and various other meaty foods.

Aquarium Suitability: *