Orbiculate Cardinal
Sphaeramia orbicularis
| Stock | Variations | Price | Quantity |
|---|
Every order ships with our standard 3-hour live arrival guarantee. Need more time? Add our 5-Day Guarantee at checkout.
Full guarantee terms →Ships Monday – Thursday for next-day arrival at your nearest FedEx Hold location — typically ready by 9 AM. We monitor every delivery.
Shipping details →
Monday – Friday 8 AM – 9 PM
Saturday 12 PM – 4 PM
Sunday 12 PM – 9 PM
Healthy, stable animals from vetted suppliers — inspected before packing, shipped overnight. Decades of experience built this model so we can deliver premium livestock at 30%+ less than you'd pay elsewhere.
| Care Level | Easy |
|---|---|
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Reef Safe | Yes |
| Functional Benefit | Ornamental Only |
| Diet Type | Planktivore |
| Mininum Tank Size | 20 gallons |
| Max Size | 4 inches |
| Temperature | 72–78°F |
| pH Range | 8.1–8.4 |
| Specific Gravity | 1.022–1.025 |
The Orbiculate Cardinal (Sphaeramia orbicularis) is a compact, deep-bodied cardinalfish with a thin dark “waistband” and scattered dark spotting toward the tail. It’s an Indo-Pacific species that settles in well in reef tank rockwork, adding calm midwater movement without bothering corals.
What You’ll Observe:
- Picks a favorite ledge or cave opening and hovers nearby
- Comes out most consistently in the calmer parts of the photoperiod
- Snaps up small foods from the water column once it learns your routine
- Holds position well rather than constantly cruising the whole aquarium
- In pairs/groups, you may notice close “side-by-side” spacing and following
Provide plenty of caves and overhangs so it always has an easy retreat point, and keep open water in front of its shelter for hovering. Offer small meaty foods (like mysis and other fine marine preparations) in modest portions, and consider a second feeding later in the day to match its natural nighttime planktivore habits. When keeping more than one, adding them together helps them settle into a stable social pattern.
Do they need an urchin or an anemone to feel secure?
No—while cardinalfish are often seen using structure in the wild, in aquariums they primarily use rock ledges, caves, and branching décor as their “home base.”
Is it normal if it’s most visible later in the day?
Yes. This species is reported to feed mainly at night in nature, so many keepers notice the most consistent activity around dusk and into evening hours.
Will I ever see breeding behavior in a display reef?
Sometimes. The male incubates the eggs in his mouth until they hatch, and hobbyists occasionally notice a fuller jawline and a “holding” period where he stays near shelter.
Do they accept pellets, or are they frozen-food only?
Many will take suitably sized pellets once they associate you with feeding, but starting with small frozen foods often helps establish a steady response first.
Do they “school,” or do they just share the same area?
In home aquariums, they more often form loose group spacing around preferred shelter rather than tight, synchronized schooling in open water.
We work with trusted suppliers who keep our specimens healthy and well-fed before shipping.
Recently viewed products
