Myripristis amaena
Look for Brick Soldierfish tucked in Hawaii's reef caves, rare sightings in waters between 24.5 and 28.7C year-round.
Look for a deep brick-red to maroon body about the size of a hand, paired with a noticeably large, dark eye that gives away its nocturnal habits. The fins carry a faint reddish wash, and the body is compact and oval, built for hovering rather than fast swimming. A pale edge on the gill cover can help separate it from similarly coloured reef fish sharing the same crevice.
Expect to find it hovering motionless just inside a cave mouth or under a ledge, often in small groups with other soldierfish, saving its active feeding for after dark. During the day it tends to hold its position rather than bolt, letting a patient diver get a decent look without much disturbance. Torch light at dusk or on a night dive is when this species becomes noticeably more active and easier to observe out in the open.
Those oversized eyes are a giveaway that this is a nocturnal feeder, spending daylight hours sheltering in dark reef structure before emerging at night to hunt zooplankton in open water.
Sightings show no clear seasonal pattern, and with a comfortable range of roughly 24.5 to 28.7C, it likely stays put on Hawaiian reefs year-round rather than migrating with the seasons.
Sightings so far come from Hawaii, United States, where divers have logged it on reef sites, though records remain rare overall. If you are chasing this species specifically, Hawaiian reef caves and ledges are the known starting point.
Mapping where Brick Soldierfish is logged…
Confirmed sightings are limited to Hawaii, United States, where it has been logged on reef sites, though records are still rare. Divers looking for it should focus on shaded reef structure in Hawaiian waters.
There is no strong seasonal pattern in the sightings, and given its comfort in water between roughly 24.5 and 28.7C, it is likely present on Hawaiian reefs throughout the year.
Check for a compact, brick-red to maroon body around 18 cm long with a large dark eye and a faint reddish tint through the fins. It typically hovers near cave mouths or ledges rather than swimming in open water during the day.
They grow to around 18 cm, making them a modestly sized reef fish easy to overlook if you are not checking dark corners and overhangs.
Its oversized eyes reflect a nocturnal lifestyle: it shelters in caves and under ledges by day and becomes active at night, feeding on zooplankton once darkness falls.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
Soldierfish
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