Panamic Soldierfish: A Red Fish Built for the Dark

If you peer into a shaded ledge or the mouth of a little cave and see a cluster of rosy-red fish with enormous eyes hanging quietly in the dark, you've found Panamic soldierfish. They're night feeders resting up for their shift. Here's how to spot them snorkeling near Jacó, plus five fun facts.

Panamic Soldierfish · Myripristis leiognathus

How to spot the panamic soldierfish near Jacó

Look into the dim, shaded parts of the reef — under overhangs, inside recesses, along the dark side of a big rock. Soldierfish hover there in loose groups during the day, their red bodies and oversized eyes giving them away even in the shadows. Peek in gently and you'll often see several hanging together.

5 fun facts about the panamic soldierfish

• Eyes made for the night. Those huge eyes gather what little light there is, letting the soldierfish hunt tiny drifting plankton after dark when most reef fish are asleep.
• Red that reads as black. Deeper down and in shade, red light fades first, so a bright red soldierfish actually looks dark and hard to see — natural camouflage.
• They can 'talk'. Soldierfish and their squirrelfish cousins drum on their swim bladder to make grunts and clicks, used to warn rivals and stay in contact.
• Day sleepers, night shift. By day they rest in the shadows; at dusk they stream out into open water to feed, returning to the same shelters by morning.
• Safety in a huddle. Resting in a loose group means more eyes watching for danger, so you'll rarely find just one tucked under a ledge.

The panamic soldierfish is just one of many characters down there. See the whole cast in our Snorkel Jaco fish directory, or read real guest photos and reviews on the Snorkel Jaco reviews.