Squirrelfish

The Squirrelfish is a remarkable example of nature’s creative powers. A creature of the night, the squirrelfish is a nocturnal species, hiding in deep crevices or under coral ledges during the day. Like many nocturnal fish, squirrelfish are red. To us it is easy to spot during the day, but to other fish it blends into its dark crevice or cave. Long red light wavelengths don't penetrate water well, so fish colour vision tends to be tuned to the shorter, blue and ultra-violet end of the spectrum. This means that red and pink fish are inconspicuous. Yes, nature has meticulously planned the structuring of the squirrelfish to enable it to survive.

  • Description: They are members of the subfamily Holocentinae. This includes the Sargocentron, Holocentrus and Neoniphon species.

    The Squirrelfish has dorsal spines: 11-11; dorsal softrays: 15-16; anal spines: 4-4; anal soft-rays: 9-10. The tip of the membranes of the spinous dorsal fin is reddish or translucent. Posterior margin of upper jaw reaches posterior margin of pupil. Spiny and soft parts of dorsal fin are nearly separate, but connected by a low membrane. Squirrelfish are dull red or pinkish in color, sometimes blotched.
  • Habitat: From North Carolina to East and West Florida, Bermuda, parts of the Gulf of Mexico, West Indies and Caribbean south to Brazil. There are many species of squirrelfish but all are primarily nocturnal. They have large eyes and during the day you'll find them under ledges and in caves, away from the light.
  • You'll see them in warm water throughout the world.
  • Food: At night the squirrelfish usually moves over sand and grass beds to search for crabs and other small crustaceans. At night squirrelfish feed on invertebrates, zooplankton and small fish near the bottom of the reef.
  • Other Facts: Squirrelfish can communicate with each other by vibrating their swimbladders to make sounds. They often do this in response to disturbance and in spawning encounters.
  • Aquarium Care: Squirrelfish are generally hardy candidates for the marine aquarium, although they do require a large tank with lots of rocks and crevices for hiding. No matter what type of tank this fish is placed in, it requires lots of places and spaces for hiding. Their diet should include a variety of fresh and prepared meaty foods such as shrimp, fish, crab, etc. and it is best to feed them at night under subdued lighting. To enjoy this fish it is best kept in low lighting. To make it an even more interesting display, you could create a complete "noctural species tank" by combining a group of these fishes with some other non-aggressive nighttime tankmates. Squirrelfish are usually peaceful and can be kept in small groups. They get along with most other fishes but should not be kept with any that are small enough for them to swallow.Breeding Squirrelfish is extremely challenging. It is difficult to differentiate between the sexes and little is known about their reproductive habits.