Description

Also known as Berndt's Soldierfish, Bigscale Soldier, Bigscale Soldierfish, Orange-finned Soldierfish, Pinecone Soldierfish, Yellowfin Soldierfish, Yellowfin Squirrelfish.

Found singly or in small schools, hiding during the day in caves and under ledges, dispersing at night to forage for food, in channels, over outer reef flats, sub-tidal reef flats and reef margins.
They feed nocturnally on crab larvae and zooplankton.
Length - 30cm
Depth - 3-160m
Widespread Eastern Pacific, Indo-Pacific

Soldierfish are nocturnal hunters feeding in the water column on zooplankton. During the day they often congregate close to reefs and in caves, sometimes found upside down in caves.
They can often be heard by divers with their pops, grunts and clicks.
Their colour can change greatly in different lights and if threatened.
Some soldierfish have venomous spines. Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Myripristis-berndti.html