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Banggai Islands of Indonesia, Indonesia, and there are also a small population off Central Sulawesi and the Lembeh Strait.

Isolated populations are found concentrated in the shallows of the islands within the Banggai Archipelago. They form groups of about 9 fish in shallow water, which include coral reefs, seagrass beds, and open areas of sand and rubble. They are associated with long spined sea urchins (Diadema setosum) and will hide among them when threatened.

Eggs are about 2.5 millimeters in diameter. The male broods the eggs in his mouth for up to 20 days, during which he does not feed. The young remain in the male’s mouth cavity for another 10 days after hatching.

There is an average of 90 eggs in the clutch.

Individual fish have well-defined homing behavior and return to their original location if their group is disturbed.

Males have a large conspicuous oral cavity, different from the female and only noted during brooding. Banggai cardinalfish are paternal mouthbrooders. The female is active in the courtship role and pair formation. Mating pairs have established spawning territories which they defend jointly. Mating occurs over a few hours to a few days. The female stays with the male and aggressively defends him during the time he is holding the eggs and newly hatched young. The females can reproduce once a month, whereas males’ mouth-brood up to six clutches per year.

Banggai cardinalfish are opportunistic feeders. The diet includes planktonic, demersal, and benthic organisms. Copepods constitute the bulk of their diet.

Endangered

Overfishing, agricultural and forestry effluents, shipping lanes, pollution