Glass Eye Squirrelfish (Heteropriacanthus cruentatus)

The Glass Eye Squirrelfish or Heteropriacanthus cruentatus is a strange looking saltwater fish that was fish discovered in Hawaii. It has very larges eyes which it uses to hunt in the cover of darkness. This fish has a color changing body that becomes brighter as it grows older. When this species of Squirrelfish is young its body is covered by brown and red patches. As the fish ages they become a striking solid bright red.

Glass Eye Squirrelfish are sometimes called Blotched Bigeyes and can be kept in a saltwater aquarium. A tank of at least 80 gallons is recommended because this fish can grow to about 1' in length, and therefore requires plenty of swimming room. Live rock is also recommended with the following water conditions, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 and sg 1.020-1.025.This fish is nocturnal and will normally hide when the lights are on. For this reason, you should provide your fish with hiding spots to rest in during the day. When you feed them try to use serpent stars, crustaceans, freeze dried shrimp and worms. You can also use live feeder shrimp as a nice treat or to get them to eat when you first receive your fish.

If you have an tips for keeping a Glass Eye Squirrelfish please share!

Striped Squirrelfish (Sargocentron xantherythrum)

The Striped Squirrelfish or Sargocentron xantherythrum is commonly found in Hawaii where it is simply known as the Hawaiian Squirrelfish. This saltwater fish has a striking red coloration with white stripes along its body. While the Striped Squirrelfish is quite common to see while scuba diving, they are often kept in an aquarium as well. Reaching about 7" in maximum length, an aquarium of 80 gallons or more with plenty of live rock and hiding places is highly recommended. Water conditions of 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, and sg 1.020-1.025 are acceptable.

The Striped Squirrelfish has very sharp gill spines and rougher than normal scales that can cause this fish to get snagged in netting materials. Handle with care as you can easily cut yourself. Don't worry too much though, they are not venomous, but they can cause some serious discomfort. If you have a Striped Squirrelfish as an aquatic pet already you may notice that they tend to hide when the lights are turned on, this is because they are a nocturnal fish that is much more active at night. These fish are carnivore that will eat worms, crustaceans and starfish in the wild, but in an aquarium they can be fed live and freeze dried shrimp as will as other meaty foods. Striped Squirelfish can be kept in multiples and with other non aggressive saltwater fish if you have a large enough aquarium.  You can check out the Hawaiian Squirrelfish in the video below.