The Pajama cardinalfish, Sphaeramia nematoptera, is a peaceful fish and is likely to get along well with others in your tank. Its ease of care and affordability also make it an appealing addition to your tank. Its unique coloration and patterns will also make it visually interesting and complement other colorful fish.
Here we’ll get into what this fish is all about and help you decide whether it’s a good fish to add to your saltwater tank.
This fish is known for its docility, which makes it perfect for adding to a reef tank. You won’t have to worry about this fish nipping at your coral or making meals of any invertebrates you keep in your tank.
While the Pajama cardinalfish isn’t particularly predatory, it is carnivorous and requires a meat-based diet. You can keep this fish content by feeding it plenty of Mysis shrimp and brine shrimp. You can also get this fish into flakes and pellets along with chopped meat.
Although you can feed them during the day once they get used to your tank’s environment, they’re normally nocturnal and feed at night. You only need to feed these fish around four to six times per week, making them very easy to care for and maintain.
These fish aren’t very big, growing to a mere 3.3 inches when fully grown. This is why they’re perfect for smaller tanks.
The average lifespan of a Pajama cardinalfish is around two to five years, but they can live much longer. Some have reported keeping the Pajama cardinalfish for as long as a decade or longer with proper care.
You can keep one Pajama cardinalfish in your tank, but their mouthbrooding behavior can make having at least one pair more interesting. If you plan on only keeping one Pajama cardinalfish, you can do well with a 40-gallon tank. If you intend to keep more, 75 gallons or larger will be sufficient in most cases.
The Pajama cardinalfish is among the more affordable options for any aquarium. You can find these on the market for around $15 to $35 in most cases, depending on the shop and type.
The following are a few interesting facts about the Pajama cardinalfish you might want to know:
As peaceful fish, Pajama cardinalfish are easy to get along with and won’t fight with most other tank mates. At the same time, you should avoid putting larger fish in with this species that might want to pick a fight. Ideally, you should also choose tank mates for this fish that prefer to dwell toward the bottom or top of the tank, as the Pajama cardinalfish tends to stay around the midsection.
Ultimately, you’ll find plenty of viable tank mates for the Pajama cardinalfish, including:
In addition, don’t be shy about grouping multiple Pajama cardinalfish together. They do very well together and tend to prefer being in schools of around six or more. This gives them some added security and they’re likely to be less stressed if they have some companions to give them company. However, you can keep one or two and they’ll do fine in most cases.
Interested in buying a Pajama cardinalfish? You’ll find this species at many online aquarium shops, such as:
As a fish that’s very easy to care for and won’t cost you much, the Pajama cardinalfish is a perfect fish for beginners and experienced aquarists alike.