Pyjama Cardinalfish Identification Guide
Identify this reef-dwelling cardinalfish by its two-tone body and bold red spotted rear half.
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Key identification features
- Stout, rounded body divided into two distinct color zones by a dark vertical band at mid-body
- Yellow snout and front half, with a dark bar running through the large eye
- Rear half is silvery-white to red, densely covered in small reddish-brown spots
- Two clearly separated dorsal fins, a hallmark of cardinalfishes
- Large eyes suited to nocturnal feeding; typically 6-8 cm in length
Common look-alikes
- Banggai cardinalfish: has long trailing filaments on the dorsal and tail fins and bold white spots scattered over a black-and-silver body, quite different from the pyjama's solid spotted rear half
- Other small cardinalfish species: most lack the sharp two-tone split with a dark mid-body band that separates the plain front from the spotted rear in the pyjama cardinalfish
Where you'll see one
Common around coral heads, jetty pilings, and sheltered lagoon reefs across the Indo-Pacific, often hovering in small groups near branching corals or debris during the day and dispersing to feed at night.
Frequently asked questions
How do I recognize a pyjama cardinalfish at a glance?
Look for the dark vertical band splitting a plain yellow front half from a red, spotted rear half, plus two separated dorsal fins.
How do I tell a pyjama cardinalfish from a Banggai cardinalfish?
Banggai cardinalfish have long streaming fin filaments and bold white spots on a dark body, while pyjama cardinalfish have short fins and fine red speckling only on the rear half.