armored catfish
Hypostomus watwata
Armored catfish of estuaries and muddy banks of the Guianas, from the Oiapoque River to the Demerara River. It can be fished from the banks and is sold for aquariums.
Also called: acari-do-mar, acari, caraboï, cacucho, armored catfish
- maximum
- 45 cm
who is the armored catfish
Armored catfish of the family Loricariidae, with its body covered in bony plates, living on the bottom of estuaries and brackish rivers, from the Oiapoque River to the Demerara River, in the Guianas. It reaches 45 cm. It lives on muddy banks, near mangroves, and digs burrows to lay its eggs. Like other armored catfish, it has an armored body and lives hidden on the bottom. It has aquarium value and is sometimes caught on the banks.
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 armored catfish.
fun facts
- It can breathe air in some situations, like other fish of the genus.
identification
Armored catfish with a body covered in bony plates and a ventral, sucker-shaped mouth used for scraping the bottom. It has a flattened head and strong spines on the fins, like the other loricariids. It lives in mud and brackish water, and the safest way to recognize it is by its habitat: this species lives in estuaries and muddy banks of the Guianas.
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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.
where found
In Brazil it occurs in Amapá, in the Oiapoque River, on the border with French Guiana. In Latin America it lives in the coastal drainages of the Guianas, from the Oiapoque River to the Demerara River, in Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname.
Habitat: Muddy banks of estuaries and brackish rivers, near mangroves.
native to the basins
coast
rules for the armored 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.
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 strong spines on the pectoral and dorsal fins, which can injure the hand. Hold it from behind the head, away from the spines.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01585, b = 2.95; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). 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.
- scientific FishBase: Hypostomus watwata (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Hypostomus watwataNames by country and language.
- 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.