Chocolate Stripe Cardinal

Apogon compressus. Ostorhinchus compressus. The Ochrestriped Cardinalfish comes from the reefs of Fiji or Indonesia. They have a long slender shape and are an ochre-red with gold color. The large black and blue eyes are offset by a black spot near the tail which confuses possible predators which way the fish is facing. A 55-gallon or larger aquarium with a cave and peaceful tank mates is suitable for this slow and methodical swimmer. It tends to hide in sea grass or other plants, or may use long spined urchins for camouflage. If a larger aquarium is available, it will handle a small group of this species. As a group, they will establish a strict hierarchy without aggressiveness. The Ochrestriped Cardinalfish requires a well-balanced diet of prepared carnivore foods along with feeder shrimp, flake foods, pellet foods, vitamin-enriched mysis and brine shrimp and depending on its size, live feeder fish.