File #012 //
Cardinalfish
(Apogon Imberbis)
Core Data
Designation: Ray-Finned Fish
Habitat: It is widely found in the Mediterranean and along the warm temperate and tropical eastern Atlantic coasts from Portugal south to the Gulf of Guinea.
Diet: It feeds on small fish, invertebrates and plankton.
Size: Ranges from 10 to 15cm (3.9 to 5.9in).
Lifecycle: Lives around 3 to 5 years in the wild but can reach up to 15 years depending on species and captivity.
Specialized Functions
Cardinalfish have a bit of a strange relationship with Ostracods. Sometimes when feeding, a Cardinalfish will accidentally eat an Ostracod. As a defensive mechanism the Ostracod glows, and since Cardinalfish are semi-transparent, it puts a huge target on its back! So the Cardinalfish ends up spitting out the Ostracod like fireworks both saving the Ostracod from being digested and itself from being a target!
