Armored catfish up to 25 cm, from lower-course rivers and estuaries of the Guianas, recorded in northern Brazil. It has commercial and aquarium use, and eats algae and small crustaceans.
Also called: acari-bodó, acari, cacucho, suckermouth catfish, sea hasar
The acari-bodó belongs to the family Loricariidae and reaches 25 cm standard length. It is an armored catfish with an elongated body covered in bony plates and a suckermouth on the underside. It lives in lower-course rivers under tidal influence, over muddy bottoms and flooded areas, in fresh and sometimes brackish water. It eats algae and small crustaceans. It spawns on smooth rocks, and one or both parents guard the eggs. It occurs in the coastal drainages of the Guianas, from the Oiapoque River to the Essequibo, which is why it reaches the northern coast of Brazil. It has commercial and aquarium use.
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 suckermouth catfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
In Singapore and Hong Kong it is farmed in ponds for the aquarium trade, where it is very popular.
how to recognize it
identification
Armored catfish with an elongated body covered in bony plates and a suckermouth on the underside. It lives in lower-course rivers and estuaries under tidal influence. It reaches 25 cm, the same size as the acari-de-ventre-manchado (Hypostomus ventromaculatus), which lives in the same stretches; to tell them apart, look at the belly, because the ventral spots are the mark of the other species.
how suckermouth catfish fishing looks
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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.
It occurs in the coastal drainages of the Guianas, from the Oiapoque River, on the border between Brazil and French Guiana, to the Essequibo in Guyana, passing through Suriname. In Brazil it reaches the northern coast.
Habitat: Lower-course river stretches under tidal influence, with muddy bottoms and flooded areas.
native to the basins
Amazon
coast
North Coastcoastal
what the law says
rules for the suckermouth catfish
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.
piracema closures in the basins where the species lives
Spawning closure (piracema) in Mato Grosso (all basins)
01/10 to 31/01MT
Allowed: All fishing modalities are prohibited in rivers, including catch and release (Law 9.096/2009, art. 19-A). Exceptions: subsistence fishing from shore (3 kg or 1 fish, no transport or sale) and scientific fishing. Law 13.159/2025 now allows licensed sport fishing in UHE/PCH hydropower reservoirs, natural lakes and border rivers, subject to a scientific study and a license from the environmental agency. We have not confirmed whether these licenses are already being issued.
Allowed: Recreational anglers with handline or rod, line and hook are outside the Annex II prohibitions, with a bag limit of 5 kg + 1 fish, unless a stricter state rule applies.
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.
Not dangerous, but the body plates and spines can cut your hand. Hold it by the body, carefully.
calculator
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01905, b = 2.95; 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.
