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Brazilian flamefish (Apogon americanus) — Apogonidae

Brazilian flamefish

Apogon americanus
Family: Apogonidae
LC · Least Concern

The Brazilian flamefish (Apogon americanus) is a saltwater fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 10 cm.

Length
10.1 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–70.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The Brazilian cardinalfish is a cardinalfish (Apogonidae) from the western Atlantic off the coast of Brazil. The species is small and has a reddish body with large eyes, adapted to a nocturnal life. It inhabits rock pools and coral reefs to at least 50 m deep, where it hides in holes and crevices by day. At night it hunts small zooplankton and small invertebrates. Notably, the male incubates the eggs in its mouth. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Brazilian flamefish?

The Brazilian flamefish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly red-orange and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Brazilian flamefish live?

The Brazilian flamefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Brazilian flamefish get?

The Brazilian flamefish grows to a maximum of about 10 cm.

Is the Brazilian flamefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Brazilian flamefish is harmless to humans.

Is the Brazilian flamefish edible?

The Brazilian flamefish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Braziliaanse kardinaalbaars sourced
English name
Brazilian flamefish verified
Scientific name
Apogon americanus
Family
Apogonidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
10.1 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
70.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Apogon

More from the family Apogonidae

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