blotcheye soldierfish
Myripristis berndti · Holocentridae · forage fish
Soldierfish of shallow reefs, with a projecting lower jaw and red-edged scales. It is sold fresh and also used in aquariums.
Also called: soldado-olho-manchado, candil ojo manchado, soldado azotado, blotcheye soldierfish
- maximum
- 30 cm
- depth
- 3–15 m
the right time
to be on the water
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…
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hour by hour
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why this index at —?
choose the day
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
the fishing month at a glance
what's the best window for the crew?
Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
trend for the coming weeks
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
everything about the blotcheye soldierfish
who is the blotcheye soldierfish
The spot-eyed soldierfish belongs to the family Holocentridae, the squirrelfishes and soldierfishes. It reaches 30 cm, and its common size is 22 cm. It lives on shallow reefs, in caves and under ledges, usually from 3 to 15 m deep. It occurs in the Indo-Pacific and in the eastern Pacific, as far as Cocos Island, Costa Rica, and the Galápagos. It feeds mainly on plankton, such as crab larvae, forms loose aggregations, and is almost always caught at night. The species is also traded for aquariums.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the blotcheye soldierfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Reddish body, with scales that have a silvery-pink or pale yellow center and red edges. The lower jaw projects when the mouth is closed. The gill cover has a black spot that extends below the spine, and the bare part of the pectoral axilla is black. The outer half of the spiny dorsal fin is yellow to orange, and the lower half of the other fins is red, with white leading edges. Compare it with Sargocentron punctatissimum, which has a small, nearly terminal mouth and a broad red margin on the dorsal fin.
where found
Found in the Indo-Pacific and the eastern Pacific, on shallow reefs, as far as Clipperton Island, Cocos Island (Costa Rica) and the Galápagos.
Habitat: Shallow reefs, caves and reef ledges, usually 3 to 15 m.
when to fish
best time of day
Nighttime. It is almost always caught at night; by day it stays in caves and under reef ledges.
rules for the blotcheye soldierfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
No danger to anglers. If released, return it to the water carefully.
in the kitchen
The flesh is sold fresh in markets.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01995, b = 3.01; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Myripristis berndti (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Myripristis berndtiNames by country and language.
similar species
where each number comes from
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
sources for this lookup
how accurate the forecast is
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations: