- Where to see one
- 3 U.S. zoos in our directory hold pajama cardinalfish, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the pajama cardinalfish
The pajama cardinalfish, also called the spotted, coral or polkadot cardinalfish, is a small member of the family Apogonidae that grows to about 8.5 cm. It has a greenish-yellow face, bright orange eyes, a silver body with a broad dark vertical waistband and orange polka dots toward the tail. It occurs across much of the western Pacific, from Java to Fiji and from the Ryukyu Islands south to the Great Barrier Reef. It is peaceful and popular as an aquarium fish. Pairs are socially monogamous and stay together for several breeding cycles, and the male carries the fertilized eggs in his mouth until they hatch.
Pajama Cardinalfish facts
- The male holds fertilized eggs in his mouth for 8 to 31 days.
- Pairs are socially monogamous, but only about 70% of egg clutches come from bonded partners.
- Males carry an average of 18% genetically unrelated eggs in cases of mixed paternity.
- Both sexes prefer mates of similar size to themselves.
Where to see pajama cardinalfish in the U.S.
3 zoos across 3 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 3 zoos holding pajama cardinalfish by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
Colorado· 1
Louisiana· 1
Massachusetts· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
