A striped cardinalfish of east coast estuaries and harbours, in loose groups under ledges by day.
To about 14 cm. Greyish with pink fins and five dark stripes along the body: two narrow curved ones above, clearly separated from a prominent stripe along the middle that ends in a dark spot at the tail base.
Those separated upper stripes and the terminal spot distinguish it from the other cardinalfish of southeastern Australia.
One to thirty metres, usually three to fifteen, on rocky reef in coastal water, bays, harbours and estuaries, in small groups under ledges and in crevices. Males are mouthbrooders and hold the ball of eggs until it hatches.
It is endemic to temperate Australia, from Fraser Island to eastern Victoria.
Ratings are per location: 1 means found on most dives that look for it, 5 means a handful of records. Where enough dives have been logged the figure is calculated from them; otherwise it is an editorial estimate, and says so. We publish habitat and destination, not the dive site.
