Fusiliers Fish Family

The members from the Caesionidae family take their name from the Latin word ‘caesius’, meaning greyish-blue. This typifies the mainstream colouration of the fusiliers fish.

The average fusilier fish is small in size and travels in larger schools. It doesn’t particularly feel comfortable when predators like barracudas or trevallies approach their neighbourhoods. When these predators do however, the entire school, constantly in motion, simultaneously and instantly changes direction with the velocity of a lashing whip; or as swift as a bullet if you like…

A mobile school of Red Sea fusiliers fish is always in motion, looking for food. They prefer to do this during the day, diurnal as they are. At night, it rests in areas with hard corals. Their mimetic qualities are amazing. They can, when required, instantly change colour at night among stony corals to blend in with their environment. It does also abut on to cleaner stations to perform some sort of symbiotic cleaning acts.

Fusilier Fish Family Members

(Blue) Lunar Fusilier Fish

Size up to 28 cm (0,9 ft). Depth up to 20m (65ft)

The sky blue lunar fusilier fish with its robust and tapering body likes hovering over fringe reefs and reef flats in company in large schools. It eats zooplankton. Sometimes sky blue schools of lunar fusilier fish pass by at such staggering speed, divers will get the feeling that a tornado has just past by like a hurling wind.

Red Sea/Suez Fusilier Fish

Size up to 25 cm (0,8 ft). Depth up to 20m (65ft)

The Red Sea fusilier fish is endemic to the Red Sea and hasn’t crossed the Suez Canal yet to enter the Mediterranean Sea. It’s a pretty common species in the northern section of the Red Sea, roaming near outer reef slopes. It can be easily recognised by the white border preceding the black blotch at the tip of the caudal fin. Apart from that, its tapering body has silvery blue tones with white tinges and a white stripe. This diurnal fusilier fish feeds on zooplankton and finds refuge in coral formations during the night.

• Other Family Members
• Gold-Striped Fusilier Fish
• Multi-Lined Fusilier Fish
• Striped/Striated Fusilier Fish
• Yellow-Band Fusilier Fish