Pajama cardinalfish Coloring Pages

A Fish That Protects Its Babies in Its Mouth!

Pajama cardinalfish are tropical fish with a round, cute look. Their biggest secret is that after eggs are laid, the dad puts the eggs in his own mouth and carefully protects them until they hatch. This is called "mouthbrooding." They got their name because their bodies are round, just like a sweet steamed bun!

What Do Their Patterns Look Like?

Pajama cardinalfish have simple, adorable patterns.

• Whole Body: Mostly bright colors like white or light pink.
• Spots: They have scattered round spots of black or dark brown on their bodies. The number and size of these spots are a little different for each fish.
• Eyes: They have big eyes, and sometimes there are black markings on the front of their head.
• Fins: Their fins are clear, and they look so cute swimming gently.

Where Do They Live?

Pajama cardinalfish live in coral reefs in the warm Indian and Pacific Oceans.

• You can find them in places rich with coral reefs, especially in Japan (Okinawa), the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia.
• They float gently in small groups in shallow spots, between corals and rocks.

What Do They Eat?

Pajama cardinalfish mostly eat tiny creatures floating in the water (like plankton).

• They eat food that drifts by while they swim slowly.

How Long Do They Live?

In the wild ocean, Pajama cardinalfish are said to live for about 2 to 5 years.

How to Choose Colors: Make it look soft and round!

The best parts of the Pajama cardinalfish are its round, gentle colors and its black spots.

• Whole body: Use light pink, cream, or white as your main colors to give it a soft look. Press lightly with your crayon or pencil so it looks nice and clear!
• Spots: Color the black or dark brown spots on its body with little round dots. Lots of spots will make it stand out, and fewer spots will make it look cute!
• Eyes: Color the eyes black, but leave a tiny bit of white light (a highlight) inside the eyes. That will make it look alive!

How to Make it Look 3D: Think about light and shadows!

The body of the Pajama cardinalfish is round and plump. To show this, let's think about light and shadows!

• Shadowy places: Color the bottom of the body and the bases of the fins with a very light gray or pink. Coloring these deeper parts will make the body look 3D!
• Shiny places: Leave bright colors on the round part of its back. It will look just like light shining on it under the water!

Tips for Enjoying Your Coloring Page!

• Color it any way you like!
• You do not have to use real colors. You can color it any way you want and think, "I wish there were a Pajama cardinalfish like this!" For example, colorful spots or a rainbow body would be so much fun!
• Try drawing a background!
• Where is your Pajama cardinalfish swimming? If you draw coral, sea anemones, or little bubbles, your picture will look even more full of life!