Lined Soapfish

Grammistes sexlineatus is a species of fish in the family Serranidae.

Description

Grammistes sexlineatus is a middle sized fish, it can grow up to 30 cm of maximum length. Its background body color is dark brown with a maximum of six white to yellow horizontal lines but number of lines depends on the maturity of the fish. Thus, the juveniles have white to yellow dots on a dark background until an approximate size of 17.5 mm. Thereafter , the points gradually become lines. To a length of 5 cm, these soap fish have three horizontal lines. Only from 8 cm long that the soapfish gets the six distinctive horizontal lines. Note that adults specimen close to the maximum size, these lines tend to sever to form small strokes and points.

Distribution

The six lined soapfish is widespread throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific area from the eastern coast of Africa to the oceanic islands of the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii and the Red Sea. And from south Japan to north New Zealand.

Habitat and Biology

This soapfish occurs in coastal rocky and coral reefs from shallow to 40-50 meters depth. Individuals are generally solitary in their reef habitat. They usually stay hidden in crevices, and are most active at night. Like other fish in the subfamily Grammistinae, this species produces a toxin from the skin. The toxins in the skin secretions are known as grammistins. These secretions resemble lathered soap and are the basis for the common name of Soap Fish. This is not caught as a food fish because the flesh reportedly has a bitter, unpleasant taste.