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Blackbar Soldierfish
Squirrelfish

Blackbar Soldierfish

Myripristis jacobus

A deep reddish-orange, big-eyed nocturnal soldierfish marked by a bold black bar behind the gill cover, aggregating around caves and ledges by day and feeding on plankton and small shrimp by night. It leaves corals alone and is an easy, hardy community fish, though very small ornamental shrimp are at risk. Unlike the true squirrelfish it lacks a prominent venomous spine. Best kept in a small group with plenty of shaded hiding spots.

Temperament
Peaceful
Max size
9.8"
Min tank
100 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Planktivore
Zone
Caves, Rockwork
Best in a group of 2+.
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Tankmates

How Blackbar Soldierfish gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blackbar Soldierfish.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blackbar Soldierfish.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blackbar Soldierfish.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blackbar Soldierfish and may harass it.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Blackbar Soldierfish and may harass it.Skunk Cleaner ShrimpBlackbar Soldierfish hunts ornamental shrimp — your Skunk Cleaner Shrimp is on the menu.Fire ShrimpBlackbar Soldierfish hunts ornamental shrimp — your Fire Shrimp is on the menu.Peppermint ShrimpBlackbar Soldierfish hunts ornamental shrimp — your Peppermint Shrimp is on the menu.Coral Banded ShrimpBlackbar Soldierfish hunts ornamental shrimp — your Coral Banded Shrimp is on the menu.Tiger Pistol ShrimpBlackbar Soldierfish hunts ornamental shrimp — your Tiger Pistol Shrimp is on the menu.Randall's Pistol ShrimpBlackbar Soldierfish hunts ornamental shrimp — your Randall's Pistol Shrimp is on the menu.