Description

Also know as Nurseryfish, Twobelt Cardinal, Striped Cardinalfish.

Found sheltering during the day, dispersing at night hunting for food, over shallow silty mangrove areas and coastal reefs rich in algae growth. Sometimes has an occelated spot on side.
They feed on benthic invertebrates and zooplankton.
Length - 17cm
Depth - 5-20m
Widespread Western Indian Ocean

Males incubate their eggs inside their mouths, as the egg masses increase in size they can be found with wide open mouths where they shift the eggs around to aerate the egg masses. Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Apogonichthyoides-taeniatus.html