The six-lined soapfish is one slippery character. A nocturnal feeder, this reclusive little fellow is rarely seen out during the day and can be easy to miss due to its small size. But a powerful defensive mechanism that lends to its name is what makes this elusive reef species really interesting.
The soapfish grows to an average of 5 inches in length (depending on the species), with a brown body marked by up to six yellow or white horizontal stripes. The stripes start out as dots, which eventually elongate into lines as the fish grows. It goes by many names, including goldenstriped soapfish, Pacific goldenstriped bass, and skunkfish.
Adults tend to hide out beneath overhangs, while juveniles sometimes gather in rock pools. Even when they do come out of hiding, they often stay close to their concealed homes. The soapfish gets its name from the sudsy substance it secretes when under stress. This secretion is toxic, and acts as a defense mechanism against predators. The soapfish dines on small crustaceans and fish to survive, while working hard to avoid being eaten itself.
As chance would have it, this tiny fellow is related to the grouper. Due to their small size and vibrant striping, they are sometimes bred as aquarium fish, but due to their habit of releasing toxins when under stress, they must be kept separate from other species in their own tank. They are found in many tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, around Hawaii, the Red Sea, Japan, and New Zealand. They favor rocky, coastal reefs in waters ranging from a few feet to well below 100 feet.
There are about 24 species of soapfish throughout the reefs of the world. The greater soapfish is the largest of the bunch, growing up to a foot long. This may be the most familiar of the species, and is also called the three-spined soapfish due the three protrusions on its back. All have their namesake sudsy defense mechanism, so if you see one, do what you should always do on a dive: keep your hands off!
