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Blacktip soldierfish (Myripristis hexagona) — Holocentridae

Blacktip soldierfish

Myripristis hexagona
Family: Holocentridae

The Blacktip soldierfish (Myripristis hexagona) is a saltwater fish of the family Holocentridae that grows up to 30 cm.

Length
30 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
3.0–40.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Large groups
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The blacktip soldierfish is a nocturnal reef fish (Holocentridae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 30 cm and has a deep, silver-red body with large eyes, a dark margin behind the gill cover and dark fin tips. By day it shelters in groups in crevices and caves of coral reefs; at night it hunts large zooplankton, mainly crustaceans, in open water. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Blacktip soldierfish?

The Blacktip soldierfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly red-orange and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Blacktip soldierfish live?

The Blacktip soldierfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Blacktip soldierfish get?

The Blacktip soldierfish grows to a maximum of about 30 cm.

Is the Blacktip soldierfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Blacktip soldierfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Blacktip soldierfish edible?

The Blacktip soldierfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Zwartpunt-soldatenvis verified
English name
Blacktip soldierfish verified
Scientific name
Myripristis hexagona
Family
Holocentridae
Other names
Blacktip soldierfish; Doubletooth soldier; Doubletooth soldierfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
30.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
3.0 verified
Max depth (m)
40.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Large groups sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Myripristis

More from the family Holocentridae

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