) -fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species
) -fish⋅es. | 1. | any of several squirrelfishes of the family Holocentridae. |
| 2. | any of various other brightly colored fishes. |

| a stout darter, Etheostoma caeruleum, inhabiting the Great Lakes and Mississippi River drainages, the spawning male of which has the sides marked with oblique blue bars with red interspaces. |
soldierfish
any of about 70 species of large-eyed, colourful, tropical reef fish of the family Holocentridae (order Beryciformes). Squirrelfish are edible fish found throughout the tropics. They have spiny fins and rough, prickly scales; some also have a sharp spine on each cheek. Most squirrelfish are red in colour, and many are marked with yellow, white, or black. The largest species is probably Holocentrus spinifer, a Pacific squirrelfish growing about 60 cm (24 inches) long. Squirrelfish are carnivorous and nocturnal, hiding by day among the reefs
Learn more about soldierfish with a free trial on Britannica.com.