Ghost Cardinal

Ghost Cardinals, Zoramia leptacantha, also go by the name Threadfin Cardinalfish. They are small and distinctive fish that are popular in the aquarium trade, thanks to their relatively peaceful nature and use as a schooling fish.

These fish have a pale, almost translucent body with a silver-grey hue, giving them a ghostly appearance. Hence the name. They have a pointed snout, and their fins are a transparent white colour.

Ghost Cardinal, Zoramia leptacantha, Ecology.

These fish occur in the Indo Pacific, around: New Caledonia, the Ryukyu Islands, Samoa and Tonga. They live in groups around branching corals that they use as cover and are most active at night.

These fish are mouthbrooders. When breeding, males and females form distinct pairs. The female guards the male while he holds the eggs in his mouth. During which time, he will not be able to feed.

Ghost Cardinals are unusual for a fish due to the amount of parental care they give to their offspring. Many fish do not invest any time in their eggs, once released. They produce a lot of offspring but with a high mortality rate. Cardinals however, produce small broods which have a higher survival rate thanks to their investment.

Threadfin cardinalfish In the Aquarium.

It is important to have plenty of nooks or crannies where your Ghost Cardinals can explore and feel at home.

These fish are mostly carnivores and do best when fed an enriched and varied diet. They will accept frozen mysis, brineshrimp and sometimes krill depending on the size. We enrich all our frozen food with garlic and vitamins. These are great for keeping fish healthy by providing them with the nutrition otherwise lost in frozen food. In doing so, these additives support their immune system and increase longevity.

Alternatively, Ghost Cardinal will also eat live foods such as copepods, that can be cultivated in an attached refugium. Over time and with some persistence, it may also be possible to get these fish to accept high-quality pellet or flake.

We adapt all our Cardinals to aquarium life before they leave us. We focus on their health, and most are eating a good quality enriched frozen food before being offered for sale.