← All groups · Saltwater fish
Peaceful centrepieces — mind the social rule
Cardinals & Basslets
Cardinals and basslets are calm, colourful and beginner-friendly — but their social rules differ sharply. Some (pajama cardinal) are true schoolers; others (banggai cardinal, royal gramma) are best as a single or a proven pair, and turn on their own kind in groups.
3 in our library · 3 with a full care guide.
💧 The one thing to get right: Match the number to the species — some want a group of five-plus, others a strict single. Give basslets caves.
- Royal GrammaGramma loretoBeginner✓ Care guideA hardy purple-and-gold beauty — peaceful, colourful, and nano-friendly.
- Banggai CardinalfishPterapogon kauderniBeginner✓ Care guideA striking finned-and-spotted cardinalfish — calm, and a captive-breeding success story.
- Pajama CardinalfishSphaeramia nematopteraBeginner✓ Care guideA quirky polka-dot schooler that drifts calmly in the open — great in a group.
Plan a cardinals & basslets tank
Our free tools run on these species' real, sourced care data — no guessing:
Fish compatibility checker →Stocking calculator →Tank volume calculator →Parameter targets →