Juvenile Banggai cardinalfish with sea anemone, Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

© Constantinos Petrinos/NPL/Minden Picture

Banggai cardinalfish

Dive deep beneath the waves surrounding the Banggai Islands in Indonesia and meet the Banggai cardinalfish. Cardinalfish can grow up to 8 centimetres and have tiny shimmery bodies with black vertical stripes and white-edged fins, which help them disguise. Unlike some finned creatures that migrate long distances, these pint-sized fish inhabit a small world, rarely straying far from their local reefs.

Each young cardinalfish begins life being guarded by their fathers, who carry the eggs in their mouths for up to 30 days to shield them from the aquatic perils. Within these jaws, young fish embark on a silent metamorphosis, soon to emerge, ready to explore the currents. In their early stages, they form dense schools for protection against predators and hide among the spines of sea urchins and anemones. The diet of these opportunistic feeders primarily consists of small fish, crustaceans and plankton. Their existence whispers tales of resilience—a creature to cherish and protect for the spectacle of life it presents.