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Coral siphonfish (Siphamia corallicola) — Apogonidae

Coral siphonfish

Siphamia corallicola
Family: Apogonidae

The Coral siphonfish (Siphamia corallicola) is a saltwater fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 3 cm.

Length
3 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
6–22 m
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines

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Description

The coral siphonfish is a small cardinalfish (Apogonidae) from shallow reef water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 4 cm and has a stocky, semi-translucent body and carries luminous bacteria in the belly that give a soft glow. As a shy, nocturnal fish it shelters by day among the spines of sea urchins and in coral crevices and hunts small zooplankton at night. The male broods the eggs in his mouth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Coral siphonfish?

The Coral siphonfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Coral siphonfish live?

The Coral siphonfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines

How big does the Coral siphonfish get?

The Coral siphonfish grows to a maximum of about 3 cm.

Is the Coral siphonfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Coral siphonfish 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

Coral siphonfish (Siphamia corallicola) — Apogonidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Tsu Soo Tan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Coral siphonfish (Siphamia corallicola) — Apogonidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Albert Kang, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Coral siphonfish (Siphamia corallicola) — Apogonidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Tsu Soo Tan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Coral siphonfish (Siphamia corallicola) — Apogonidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Tsu Soo Tan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))

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All data

Identification

English name
Coral siphonfish sourced
Scientific name
Siphamia corallicola
Family
Apogonidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
3 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
6 verified
Max depth (m)
22 verified
Natural range
Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines sourced
Origin
Native

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

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

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

Same genus Siphamia

More from the family Apogonidae

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