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fishing forecast

red cornetfish

Fistularia petimba · Fistulariidae · predator

EstuarySeaessential profile

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

Scientific illustration of Red cornetfish
maximum
200 cm
record/max.
4.7 kg
depth
18–57 m
location

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period

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the species

everything about the red cornetfish

overview

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.

how to recognize it

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.

distribution

where found

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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

North CoastNortheast CoastSoutheast CoastSouth Coastcoastalshelf
what the law says

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.

calculator

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Fistularia petimba (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Fistularia petimbaNames by country and language.
  3. 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.
don't confuse

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