Yellow Tail Cardinal
Apogon sp.
| Stock | Variations | Price | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out of Stock | 1.25 - 2.25" - Indo-Pacific | Original price was: $39.99.$20.99Current price is: $20.99. | Email me | |
| Out of Stock | 1.25" or smaller - Indo-Pacific | Original price was: $39.99.$20.99Current price is: $20.99. | Email me |
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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 | Carnivore |
| Mininum Tank Size | 30 gallons |
| Max Size | 6 inches |
| Temperature | 72–78°F |
| pH Range | 8.1–8.4 |
| Specific Gravity | 1.022–1.025 |
The Yellow Tail Cardinal is a reef-safe cardinalfish with a warm yellow body and a distinct dark band near the base of the tail. It naturally spends much of the day hovering under ledges and around rockwork, then becomes more active as the tank lighting dims.
What You’ll Observe:
- Hovering in small pause-and-drift patterns near caves, overhangs, and shaded corners
- More movement and hunting behavior in the evening when the tank is calmer
- Quick, accurate strikes at small foods drifting in the water column
- If kept with multiples, a loose group that tends to share the same sheltered zones
How to Succeed: Provide live rock with several caves/ledges so it can choose a shaded home base while still having open water nearby for feeding. Offer small meaty foods (like mysis or finely chopped seafood) and feed in a few areas so food drifts past its preferred hovering spots. If you want a group, add them at the same time so they settle in together and use the rockwork as shared shelter.
Does this fish always hide during the day?
Many cardinalfish spend daylight hours tucked under ledges or in caves, then become noticeably more active as lights dim.
How can I tell if it’s eating if it doesn’t rush the front glass?
They often feed by hovering and snapping at individual pieces as they drift by; watch for quick strike movements and a steady, rounded body profile over time.
Will it hang in open water or stay near the rocks?
Most of the time it will hover close to structure, then make short swims into the open to grab food before returning to cover.
Is it normal to see a cardinalfish with a full mouth that stops eating for a while?
In mouthbrooding cardinalfish, a fish may hold eggs or fry in its mouth and show reduced interest in food during that period; the behavior looks like gentle mouth movements or tumbling.
Can I mix it with other cardinalfish species?
In many tanks they coexist well when there are multiple hiding zones and feeding areas, so each fish can claim a comfortable hovering spot.
Shipped with pure oxygen and temperature control so it arrives stress-free and ready to eat.
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