The Banggai cardinalfish

A little tropical cardinalfish belonging to the Apogonidae family is called the Banggai cardinalfish. In its genus, there is only one specimen. The aquarium industry is a big fan of this gorgeous fish. Although it is one of the very few marine fish that have been regularly grown in captivity, a sizable number of them are still caught in the wild, making it an endangered species. Threats to this species' population include certain deadly infections and the harm that humans are doing to its environment. Fish mortality is known to be significantly caused by iridovirus illnesses.

This fish is both graceful and gorgeous, both physically and behaviorally. The Banggai cardinalfish exudes a majestic and refined air as though it were a creature from a mythical past.

The Banggai Islands in Indonesia are home to this kind of fish, therefore the name of the islands. The Banggai cardinalfish is unfortunately endangered in its natural habitat because of exploitation for aquarium importation and also because it is captured in trawling.