Black-tip Sole, also known as Blue Edged Sole, is found in the Eastern Indian Ocean and Western Pacific. It sometimes appears in aquariums.
This fish has a special ability called biofluorescence. When exposed to blue or ultraviolet light, it gives off red light, making it look different than under regular white light.
This feature may help the fish communicate with its own kind and hide from predators.
Black-tip Soles live in shallow sandy areas near lagoons and reefs. They bury themselves under the sand with only their eyes and nostrils showing.
When scared, they move quickly and are hard to spot once they settle back down. They tend to be more active at night.
As for compatibility with reef environments, this fish won’t harm coral but may eat shrimp and other small sea creatures.
Black-tip Sole Interesting Facts
- Black-tip Soles exhibit biofluorescence, emitting red light when exposed to blue or ultraviolet light, which helps with communication and camouflage.
- These fish bury themselves in shallow sandy areas near lagoons and reefs, revealing only their eyes and nostrils.
- Black-tip Soles are compatible with reef environments but may eat shrimp and other small sea creatures.
- This fish has unique features such as ctenoid scales, an elongated body, and fringed cirri on the head’s bottom edge.
Black-tip Sole Habitat
Black-tip Sole is found in the Eastern Indian Ocean and Western Pacific regions.
Its habitat range stretches from India to Samoa, northward to southern Japan, and southward to New South Wales, Australia.
This marine fish lives in reef-associated areas at depths of 0 to 10 meters (about 33 feet) deep. It inhabits tropical waters between latitudes of 32°N to 32°S.
| Water Temperature: | Unknown |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Black-tip Sole Physical Characteristics
Size: 7.1 inches (18.0 centimeters)
Black-tip Sole grows up to 7.1 inches (18.0 centimeters) long. It has no dorsal spines, but it does have 87 to 102 dorsal soft rays and 72 to 87 anal soft rays. This fish has a total of 50 vertebrae.
Black-tip Sole is usually white or tan-brown in color with many dark brown lines or narrow bars on its body and fins.
Its dorsal and anal fins have a white edge and a wide blue-black area below it. The tail fin is pale with a black outer border.
Black-tip Sole also has 7 to 9 branched pectoral rays on the side with the eyes, while the blind side has 6 to 8 rays.
Its scales are ctenoid (comb-like) in shape, and its body is elongated, being about three times longer than its height.
The head makes up one-sixth to one-seventh of the fish’s length, and it has small eyes that are close together.
The tube-shaped nostril in front of the eye is longer than the eye itself, and the bottom edge of the head features fringed cirri (small tentacle-like structures).
Black-tip Sole Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Pleuronectiformes |
| Family: | Soleidae |
| Genus: | Soleichthys |
| Scientific Name: | Soleichthys heterorhinos |
| Also Known As: | Black-tip Sole, Blue Edged Sole |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |