Pink Cardinalfish
Seen past the published northern limit of its range.
Sightings
2026 season, every one sourced
Southern California
- Oct 27, 2026"The Wall," La Jolla Submarine Canyon
- Oct 25, 2026Main Wall, La Jolla Submarine CanyonSource: iNaturalist 411113608
- Oct 23, 2026Los Angeles County (exact spot hidden)Source: iNaturalist 410902342
Photos
From California this season
No photos yet. If you photographed this animal in California this season, post it to the Coastal Bulletin.
Home Range
Where it normally lives
Gulf of California south to Peru and the Galapagos Islands.
Range source: FishBase
The species lives from the Gulf of California to Peru and around the Galapagos Islands, from the shallows to about 100 feet deep.
Identification
The pink cardinalfish is a small, flat-sided fish, red to pink with yellow highlights on its head and flanks. A short, narrow dark bar marks the front of the dorsal fin, and a black bar crosses the mouth. It grows to about 4 inches.
Natural History
Pink cardinalfish spend the day tucked under ledges and in other shaded corners of rocky reefs and slopes. At night they move into the open to feed. They often mix with other kinds of cardinalfish.
In California
The first 2026 record came from Los Angeles County on October 23, at a spot the observer kept hidden. Divers then photographed the species on the walls of the La Jolla Submarine Canyon on October 25 and October 27. No earlier California record turned up in this research.
Taxonomy
Rarity
Rarity in the compendium is how often the animal has been reported on the California coast this season, not how rare it is where it normally lives. It moves as new sightings come in.