Painted cardinal fish lives around the Indian Ocean and West Pacific Ocean. It can grow up to be 6 cm in length. They are often found in rocky areas of the bay with mild waves. They live in large colonies along with other species of cardinal fishes.

During breeding season, the male takes the eggs that the female laid in his mouth for incubation until it hatches, which is also known as mouth brooding.

Around Kagoshima, many of them live around Uchinoura on the Pacific Ocean side of KinkoBay and East China Sea.