live sharksucker
Echeneis naucrates
Warm-water remora, common near the coast and on reefs, which attaches to sharks, rays and even boats. It is not dangerous and turns up now and then on the line.
Also called: agarrador-listrado, agarrador, pega, guaicán, live sharksucker
- maximum
- 110 cm
- record/max.
- 2.3 kg
- depth
- 1–85 m
who is the live sharksucker
Fish of the family Echeneidae, the most abundant remora in warm waters. The first dorsal has become a suction disc, with which it attaches to sharks, rays, large fish, turtles, whales, dolphins and even boats. It reaches 110 cm and 2.3 kg, and the common size is around 66 cm. It lives from 1 to 85 m, near and far from the coast, and is seen free in shallow water and on reefs. It may follow divers. It feeds on small fish, on the leftovers of its host's prey and on its parasites. It is caught now and then on line and also in commercial nets.
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 live sharksucker; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- There are reports from native fishers who tie a line to the tail of a remora and release it: it attaches to another fish, which is pulled in together with it.
- The juveniles clean reef fish, especially parrotfish.
identification
Body elongated and slimmer than that of Remora remora, with the first dorsal transformed into a suction disc on top of the head and a dark stripe along the flank, which gives it the name striped. The soft dorsal and anal fins have only soft rays. To tell it apart from Remora remora, look at the body depth: naucrates is slimmer, and the remora is deeper.
Loading the next 7 days…
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 Latin America it occurs in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and almost all of the Caribbean, on shallow reefs and in coastal waters.
Habitat: Coastal and oceanic waters, both near and far from the coast, and coral reefs, from 1 to 85 m, often attached to sharks, rays and turtles.
coast
rules for the live sharksucker
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 poses no danger to the angler, but it may attach to the leg of a diver. Be careful with the shark or ray that carries it.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00263, b = 3.17; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). 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: Echeneis naucrates (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Echeneis naucratesNames 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.
