Does anyone have experience with Ostorhinchus and Cheilodipterus Cardinalfish?

[Zionas]

Specifically O. Cyanosoma, O. Compressus and C. Quinquelineatus.

Care, diet, hardiness, anything to look out for (temperament etc).

 

[revhtree]

BUMP!

 

[Dierks]

Not sure if you ever got these guys but we really like them

Ostorhinchus cyanosoma

They seem to do fine in a group when they are smaller but then as they get older they seem to split off. Did yours slit off into groups once they got larger? We found our split and then the big one beat up on the little one pretty good. So I think you need to split up any males and then go from there.

 

[Zionas]

Hey thanks, are they hardy and do they easily take dry food? I heard somewhere they’re poor shippers?

 

[Dierks]

Hey thanks, are they hardy and do they easily take dry food? I heard somewhere they’re poor shippers?

They are very poor shippers indeed. I don't know about the dry food as we only feed frozen. They seem to eat pretty well so they certainly could if other fish were around to train them how I found that once they settle in they are pretty hardy fish.

 

[DanConnor]

I was looking for the ochre striped- couldn't find them but some ring-tailed (O. aureus) showed up at my lfs about a month ago and I bought 4. So far they seem hardy and eat everything I put in the tank. Beautiful glowing blue eyes like the ochre striped. Love them.

 

[VintageReefer]

@ISpeakForTheSeas
Bringing in the expert

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

C. Quinquelineatus.

Addressing Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus first here.

These are more social than a lot of other cardinals in the wild - they're typically found in fairly large aggregations during the day, reportedly in numbers of 5-30; at night, they're sometimes alone but sometimes in groups of reportedly 2-5. Keeping 5+ is recommended.

They prefer living either in Acropora branches or the spines of the Longspine Sea Urchin, Diadema setosum.

Like other cardinalfish, they're nocturnal, and night is when they do most of their feeding. They're known to feed primarily on small crustaceans (pods, shrimp, etc.), small fish, and occasionally snails. In aquariums, they're also reported to occasionally eat worms, including feather dusters.

They are mouthbrooders, and have been aquacultured before with reportedly high survival rates.


For the Ostorhinchus species (which are also mouthbrooders), O. cyanosoma and O. compressus have both been aquacultured before as well with similarly high reported survival rates.

Both are also nocturnal. Keeping a group of 5+ has been recommended for both of these as well.

O. compressus is reportedly found among branching Porites species such as P. cylindrica and P. nigrescens in small groups.

Not as much reported info is available about the wild diet of O. compressus, but it's assumed to be similar to that of O. cyanosoma, primarily feeding on zooplankton (pods) and benthic inverts like shrimp. It's considered invert safe with caution.

O. cyanosoma is reportedly found typically under overhangs/in caves, but they are also known to be found in the spines of longspine sea urchins. They reportedly are typically found alone at night, but sometimes they're found in pairs. It is found in small to large groups during the day.

They reportedly feed primarily on zooplankton (pods) and small, benthic crustaceans (such as benthic pods and/or shrimp). They also reportedly may feed on small worms, including feather dusters in our tanks.

 

[Zionas]

That’s good to know. Except for them not shipping well. Do you find that they take long to settle in? And do they ship better than many Wrasses?

 

[Zionas]

Thanks for all of it. Much appreciated.

 

[Zionas]

Ahh how big are your 4? Do they shoal? How big’s your tank?

 

[Dierks]

That’s good to know. Except for them not shipping well. Do you find that they take long to settle in? And do they ship better than many Wrasses?

Nope, I would say they settle in pretty easily. They seem comfortable in the tank as well. Their schedules are a bit wonky when we first get them but they adjust really well. to that too. I would put them on par with shipping Fairy or flasher wrasse.