Holocentrus rufus
| Latin name | Holocentrus rufus - (Walbaum, 1792) |
|---|---|
| Local name | Longspine squirrelfish |
| Family | Holocentridae - Holocentrus |
| Origin | The Mexican Golf, West Atlantic |
| Max length | 35 cm (13.8") |
| Minimum volume |
800 l (211 gal) 
|
|---|---|
| Hardiness |
Hardy
|
| Suitable for aquarium |
Suitable with care
|
| Reef safe |
Reef safe with caution
|
| Aggressiveness | Peaceful |
| Recommended |
Larger crustaceans (Shrimp, crabs...) Other invertebrates Small crustaceans (Krill, mysis, artemia...) |
|---|
This spicies might be a threat to smaller fishes.
This species thrives best in an aquarium with dimmed lighting.
This species can be a threat towards small crustaceans, e.g. small shrimp.
These fish should not be caught with a net, as it is all too easy to damage their large eyes.
A very secretive species which hides between the rocks.
When it feels at home in the aquarium it will appear more, but is still not as active in the water column as most of the other fish.
This fish can live on their own or in a group.
This species thrives best in an aquarium with overhangs and caves.
This species can be aggressive if they are not provided with adequate space.
This species is nocturnal and therefore the most active when the light is dimmed or turned off.
Can be recognized by the white triangles at the tips of the dorsal fin.
Squirrel-/Soldierfish (Holocentrinae and Myripristinae) are normally a red/grey colour and very secretive.
As to how much they hide, varies from fish to fish, what they do have in common however, is that they are most active when the lights are off, but will, with time, come out more while the lights are on.
Squirrel-/Soldierfish are not generally a threat to other aquarium animals, but will sometimes eat very small fish and invertebrates.
Neither Squirrelfish or Soldierfish are particularly aggressive, and whilst most species can be kept in a small group, they will sometimes fight amongst themselves. In this case, space must be taken into consideration as the Squirrelfish will sometimes chase the less aggressive Soldierfish, if space is lacking.
It is easy enough to get both fish types to eat, but if they do not come out during the day it is best to feed them when the lights are off. In the beginning it might be necessary to lure them out with live food.
Squirrelfish have spikes on their head and gills which easily get caught in fishnets, so avoid those.
Being scratched by some species of Squirrelfish can result in an ugly wound and be painful, as some are actually poisonous.
If one is not careful when capturing and transporting these fish, their eyes can be damaged.
| Aquarium trade | Yes |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Western Atlantic: Bermuda and southern Florida, USA to northern South America and Brazil; throughout the West Indies (Ref. 3724). Antilles, northwestern Gulf of Mexico, Yucatan to Colombia (Ref. 26938). |
| English common names |
Squirrelfish Longspine squirrelfish Miss darlington |
| Danish common names |
Langpigget egernfisk |
Scott W. Michael. 2001. Reef Fishes volume 1 - TFH Publications / Microcosm Ltd. - (English)
Henry C. Schultz. 2003. But They Don't Look Like a Rat with a Fuzzy Tail: The Family Holocentridae - Reefkeeping Magazine - (English)
Bob Fenner. Squirrel- & Soldierfishes, Family Holocentridae - Wet Web Media - (English)