Home · Holocentridae · Bigeye Soldierfish
Bigeye Soldierfish (Ostichthys trachypoma) — Holocentridae

Bigeye Soldierfish

Ostichthys trachypoma
Family: Holocentridae
LC · Least Concern

The Bigeye Soldierfish (Ostichthys trachypoma) is a saltwater fish of the family Holocentridae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
37.0–550.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The bigeye soldierfish is a soldierfish (Holocentridae) from the western Atlantic Ocean. The species has a red, stoutly scaled body with very large eyes, adapted to a nocturnal and deeper life. By day it hides in cracks and caves of deeper rocky and reef areas, at night it hunts small crustaceans and small fishes. Unlike the true squirrelfishes it lacks a venomous gill-cover spine. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bigeye Soldierfish?

The Bigeye Soldierfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly red-orange and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Bigeye Soldierfish live?

The Bigeye Soldierfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Bigeye Soldierfish get?

The Bigeye Soldierfish grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Bigeye Soldierfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Bigeye Soldierfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Bigeye Soldierfish edible?

The Bigeye Soldierfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Ruwwang-soldatenvis sourced
English name
Bigeye Soldierfish verified
Scientific name
Ostichthys trachypoma
Family
Holocentridae
Other names
Bigeye soldierfish; Big-eye soldierfish; Soldierfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
37.0 verified
Max depth (m)
550.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. 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 Ostichthys

More from the family Holocentridae

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