The Sergeant Major Fish

Sergeant majors in Costa Rica have become more and more common as of late. Colloquially, the sergeant majors are called ‘pintano’ and the scientific name given to this fish is ‘Abudefduf saxatilis’ from the family Pomacentridae. Sergeant fish are large in size and very brightly colored which makes them attractive to most other fish in the sea. Sergeant majors are considered one of the ‘damsel fishes’ in the Pacific Ocean. This means that they are anemonefish. They can grow to a length of 36 cm and inhabit deeper waters of a tropical nature. Damsel fish are usually very vibrant in body coloring. Most of these, especially the sergeant majors reside in the coral reefs present at the bottom of the ocean and most of these species are preferred to grace aquariums in homes and offices. Usually, these fish eat algae, small crustaceans and plankton. Some species of the sergeant majors also live in freshwater areas where they inhabit the coast of the nearby areas.

The interestingly named sergeant major gets its name from the physical appearance which is said to resemble that of the insignia of a military Sergeant Major. The sides of the sergeant major fish are vibrant in color with darker stripes. This makes them stand out from other fish that are brightly colored and striped in different patterns. The diet of the sergeant major fish is comprised of the larvae of several creatures in the sea. They may prefer larvae of invertebrates, small fish, plankton and algae in the Pacific Ocean and waters near Costa Rica. Various members of schools of other fish in the sea target the sergeant majors for food despite their somewhat large appearance. Schools of fish belonging to the families “Labridae” and “Serranidae” usually attack sergeant major for food. Interestingly, sergeant major fish consume the larvae of other fish but guard their own zealously and do not let any predator get near to their eggs. Sergeant major fish lay their eggs in firm places which they can guard easily from other dangers in the ocean.

Sergeant majors are usually found in tropical areas like Costa Rica and in the Pacific Ocean. Their range also extends to the Atlantic and off the south coast of Central America, United States and eastern South America. They may also be found as far off as the island of Bonaire and some seas in Africa. Sergeant major fish usually inhabit coral reefs at the bottom of the ocean at a depth of 1 to 12 meters. They are largely preferred as pets by children and adults alike but they pose some problems if kept as aquarium fish. Sergeant major fish are usually extremely possessive and protective about their inhabited area along with their eggs and young sergeant major fish. Due to this, they may become aggressive if other fish even drift close to their area. In a confined space like an aquarium, that can cause some serious problems. Sergeant majors may go to extreme lengths to defend their own area and baby fish which is why it is not a good idea to team them up with other fish in an enclosed space.

Video of Sergeant Majors near Quepos

Additional Reference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_major_(fish)