Fundulus seminolis
Small freshwater fish logged across Florida springs, comfortable in 20.5 to 26.5 C, seen year-round and uncommon-to-common at most sites.
Slim, torpedo-shaped body running to about 8 cm, with a silvery-olive back fading to a pale belly and faint vertical barring along the flanks. The dorsal fin sits well back toward the tail, and in clear spring water the fish often shows a faint bluish sheen along the upper side. Look for small, tight groups hanging just off the bottom rather than a single fish out in open water.
Typically seen hovering in loose, unhurried groups just above sand or vegetation in the calm water of Florida's spring runs, picking at small invertebrates and drifting organic matter. It keeps a low profile around divers, easing off rather than bolting, and tends to stay near structure like grass beds or submerged wood rather than crossing open, current-swept channels.
It's one of only a handful of killifish species that spend their whole lives in Florida's spring-fed rivers and lakes rather than brackish coastal water, which is unusual for the genus.
No clear seasonal pattern shows up in the sightings, and the 20.5 to 26.5 C range matches the stable, spring-fed water Florida's spring systems hold year-round. Practically, that means any month is a reasonable bet.
Logged exclusively at freshwater sites in Florida, United States, this is very much a Florida springs fish rather than a reef or ocean species. Divers doing the spring systems around the state have the most reliable chance of crossing paths with it, with sightings ranging from uncommon to common depending on the site.
Mapping where Seminole Killifish is logged…
They turn up in freshwater spring sites across Florida, United States, which is the only place divers have logged them. Look for loose groups hovering over sand or grass in the clear spring runs rather than out on open water.
There's no strong seasonal pattern in the sightings, and Florida's springs hold a fairly steady 20.5 to 26.5 C year-round, so they're a reasonable year-round sighting rather than a seasonal one.
Look for a small, slender fish around 8 cm long, silvery-olive on top with faint vertical bars and a dorsal fin set back near the tail. They hang in small, loose groups just off the bottom in spring water rather than swimming in open midwater.
They top out at around 8 cm, so they're one of the smaller fish you'll notice in a Florida spring, usually spotted in groups rather than as a single standout individual.
No. They're a small, harmless fish that keeps its distance and poses no risk to divers or snorkellers.
They spend their entire life cycle in Florida's freshwater spring systems, which sets them apart from many killifish relatives that live in brackish coastal habitats.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
Soldierfish
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