Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) bred in our zoo
The offspring are currently about 3mm in size and make their home in an "artificial sea pen" made of cable ropes.
Would you believe it?
Native to Indonesia, these marine fish are about 8cm long at maturity. The female lays only a few dozen eggs, which are then incubated in the mouth by the father for about 20 days. The fry remain there for 10 days after hatching and are released only after they have fully developed.
Once they are released from the care of the caring father, the hatchlings, once they have developed in the male's mouth, swarm around sea grasses, roses or sea urchins to seek shelter.
Juveniles occur in different habitats than adults and form adolescent gangs.
They have a short life span of less than two years in the wild and their numbers are steadily declining due to marine fishing and habitat fragmentation.
This is the first time we have managed to breed this tropical marine fish in our zoo.
