tube-snout
Aulorhynchus flavidus
Elongated fish of kelp beds and rocky areas of northern Baja California, living in schools near the surface. It poses no danger to anglers.
Also called: peixe-agulha-trompudo, trompudo sargacero, tube-snout
- maximum
- 18 cm
- depth
- 0–30 m
who is the tube-snout
Elongated-bodied fish of the family Aulorhynchidae (tubesnouts), living near the surface in schools, sometimes dense and offshore. It occurs over kelp beds, seagrass, rocky areas and sand bottoms. It reaches 18 cm total length and 9 years of age. It feeds on small crustaceans and fish larvae. Males build nests, usually in algae, and guard the eggs. It is commercially fished and also used in public aquariums, but is an occasional catch for rod anglers.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the tube-snout.
fun facts
- Breeding males have a bright red snout and guard the nest in the algae.
identification
Elongated fish with a long, tube-shaped snout, grayish to yellow-brown on the back and pale below. It has a row of small spines on the dorsal fin, free of the membrane, and a triangular soft dorsal fin set far back on the body. A silvery patch shines between the gill cover and the pectoral fins, below a dark band running from the snout to the eyes.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Mexico, it occurs in northern Baja California, over kelp beds and rocky and sandy areas near the surface. The species lives from Alaska to northern Baja California.
Habitat: Kelp beds and seagrass, rocky areas and sand bottom, from 0 to 30 m.
rules for the tube-snout
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It poses no danger to anglers. A small schooling fish: release it quickly.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00257, b = 3.14; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Aulorhynchus flavidus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Aulorhynchus flavidusNames by country and language.