red cornetfish
Fistularia petimba
Fish with a tubular snout that lives on soft shelf bottoms, reddish in color, which eats small fish and shrimp. It turns up on the line now and then and is caught for subsistence.
Also called: trombeta-vermelha, corneta colorada, trompeta, red cornetfish
- maximum
- 200 cm
- record/max.
- 4.7 kg
- depth
- 18–57 m
who is the red cornetfish
Fish of the family Fistulariidae, with a tube-shaped snout and an elongated body. Records reach 200 cm, although one specialist has not seen specimens over 100 cm. It lives in coastal areas of soft bottom, usually between 18 and 57 m. It occurs from Argentina and southern Brazil to Massachusetts, in the United States, including the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. It eats small fish and shrimp. It is caught now and then on line and for subsistence.
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 red cornetfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated body, reddish or orange-brown, with a row of bony plates along the middle of the back, which is the main mark. Unlike the trumpetfish (Fistularia tabacaria), which is brown on top and has a row of blue dots on the back, this one is reddish and has bony plates. As both live in the same region, check the color and the plates before deciding.
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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
It occurs from Argentina and southern Brazil to Massachusetts, in the United States, including the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and Cuba.
Habitat: Coastal areas of soft bottom, usually between 18 and 57 m.
coast
rules for the red cornetfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
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 has no spines or venom and poses no danger to people. When releasing it, hold it by the body, not by the tube-shaped snout.
in the kitchen
It is caught in subsistence fishing, for local consumption.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00058, b = 3.0; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). 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: Fistularia petimba (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Fistularia petimbaNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
