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Step 1
Blackbar soldierfish range throughout the western Atlantic, all the way from North Carolina and down to Brazil. They are particularly common in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean.
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Step 2
Blackbar soldierfish generally possess a bright, brilliant red body, in addition to large, dark eyes - these characteristics are common throughout the squirrelfish family, however, and may indicate a number of species. Three to six inches in length, the leading edge of blackbar soldierfish fins also possess a thin, white line.
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Step 3
This solderfish earns its name from a single black vertical stripe located just behind its head, which resembles the shoulder stripe of a soldier.
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Step 4
Especially during the day, blackbar soldierfish spend their time in the cracks and crevices of reefs, peers, and caves. At nighttime, however, they emerge to hunt in the waters above the reef: their large eyes make it an excellent hunter for shrimp and zooplankton.
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Step 5
Although sometimes solitary, blackbar soldierfishes can also be found in small groups. More distinctly, however, they have been reported to occasionally swim upside down, for reasons that have not been fully explained. And under stress, they actually use their swim bladder to make clicking and grunting noises.
