Neoniphon argenteus
| Latin name | Neoniphon argenteus - (Valenciennes, 1831) |
|---|---|
| Local name | Clearfin squirrelfish |
| Family | Holocentridae - Neoniphon |
| Origin | East Indian Ocean, West Indian Ocean, Australia, Indonesia, East Pacific, Central/West Pacific |
| Max length | 24 cm (9.4") |
| Minimum volume |
800 l (211 gal) 
|
|---|---|
| Hardiness |
Hardy
|
| Suitable for aquarium |
Suitable with care
|
| Reef safe |
Reef safe with caution
|
| Aggressiveness | Might be aggressive |
| Recommended |
Fish Larger crustaceans (Shrimp, crabs...) Other invertebrates Small crustaceans (Krill, mysis, artemia...) |
|---|
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.
Out in wild this species is used to faint light, so to acclimitize it, it is advantageous to dim the light at first and gradually increase it to normal.
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.
Several specimen of this species can coexist in the same aquarium, provided they are introduced simultaneously.
This species can be very shy when first introduced into a new aquarium.
More aggressive fish can be introduced after this species has acclimatized.
This species likes to hide in and amongst the branches of corals, e.g. Acropora coral and
will also do well if they can find other hiding places.
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 | No |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Marquesan Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to northern Australia, New Caledonia and Rapa. Throughout Micronesia (Ref. 1602). |
| English common names |
Silver squirrelfish Smooth squirrelfish Clearfin squirrelfish |
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)