Home · Apogonidae · Black-nosed cardinalfish
Black-nosed cardinalfish (Verulux cypselurus) — Apogonidae

Black-nosed cardinalfish

Verulux cypselurus
Family: Apogonidae

The Black-nosed cardinalfish (Verulux cypselurus) is a saltwater fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
6 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
2.0–15.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Australia, Bahrain, Solomon Is., Sri Lanka, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Comoros and others

Want the complete picture on the Black-nosed cardinalfish?

Get the app

Description

The black-nosed cardinalfish is a small reef fish (Apogonidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a translucent, yellowish body with large eyes and a dark snout. As a nocturnal reef-dweller it shelters by day in groups among coral branches and in crevices and hunts small zooplankton at night. The male broods the eggs in its mouth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Black-nosed cardinalfish?

The Black-nosed cardinalfish has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly yellow-gold.

Where does the Black-nosed cardinalfish live?

The Black-nosed cardinalfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Asia: Australia, Bahrain, Solomon Is., Sri Lanka, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Comoros and others

How big does the Black-nosed cardinalfish get?

The Black-nosed cardinalfish grows to a maximum of about 6 cm.

Is the Black-nosed cardinalfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Black-nosed cardinalfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Black-nosed cardinalfish (Verulux cypselurus) — Apogonidae — 2
Williams, Jeffrey T. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Black-nosed cardinalfish (Verulux cypselurus) — Apogonidae — 3
Williams, Jeffrey T. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Black-nosed cardinalfish (Verulux cypselurus) — Apogonidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Julien Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Black-nosed cardinalfish (Verulux cypselurus) — Apogonidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Raphael Forns, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Black-nosed cardinalfish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Black-nosed cardinalfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Black-nosed cardinalfish sourced
Scientific name
Verulux cypselurus
Family
Apogonidae
Other names
Cardinalfish; Luminous cardinalfish; Nose-spot cardinalfish; Schooling cardinalfish; Swallowtail cardinalfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
6.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
2.0 verified
Max depth (m)
15.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: Australia, Bahrain, Solomon Is., Sri Lanka, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Comoros and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

More from the family Apogonidae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Black-nosed cardinalfish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Black-nosed cardinalfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Black-nosed cardinalfish? Get the app