Flamefish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flamefish |
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| A young Apogon maculatus | |
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The flamefish (Apogon maculatus) is a colorful cardinalfish found in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean. This fish is active at night, meaning it usually hides in dark spots during the day. If you want to see a flamefish in a dark room, you can use a red light.
Sometimes, flamefish are kept in aquariums because they are quite unique. However, their bright colors can fade if they are not fed special vitamins that help keep their colors strong. Flamefish can grow up to about 11 centimeters (4.3 inches) long.
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Living with Flamefish
Flamefish can be a bit aggressive towards other cardinalfish. It's best to keep only one flamefish in a tank unless you have a mated pair. If you want to keep two, they need a tank that is 55 imperial gallons (about 250 liters) or larger. They usually get along well with other peaceful fish, as long as they have plenty of caves and places to hide.
Ideal Water Conditions
For flamefish to be healthy, the water in their tank needs to be just right. The temperature should be between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius (72-78°F). The water's pH level should be from 8.1 to 8.4. The saltiness (sg) should be 1.020 to 1.025, and the dKH (water hardness) should be 8 to 12.
Flamefish Care Guide
Caring for a flamefish is generally easy, making them a good choice for beginners.
Tank Setup
- Light: Flamefish prefer minimal light because they are nocturnal.
- Minimum Tank Size: They need at least a 30 imperial gallon (about 136 liter) tank.
- Hardiness: They are considered easy to care for.
- Aggressiveness: They are semi-aggressive, meaning they can be a bit feisty with certain fish.
- Reef Compatibility: Yes, they can live in a reef aquarium.
What They Eat
Flamefish need a healthy diet that includes meaty foods. This should be rich in vitamins to keep them strong and colorful. They enjoy eating things like feeder fish, crustaceans, mysid shrimp, and bloodworms. You need to feed them every day.
Good Tank Mates
Flamefish usually get along well with many other types of fish. Some good tank mates include dwarf angelfish, blennies, boxfish, butterflyfish, other cardinalfish (if the tank is large enough), clownfish, filefish, gobies, grunts and sweetlips, hawkfish, and pufferfish.
See also
In Spanish: Apogon maculatus para niños
