couma sea catfish
Sciades couma
A catfish of murky water in the estuaries and lower reaches of rivers on the north coast, from the Gulf of Paria to Pernambuco. Caught on the bottom with shrimp and pieces of fish. The male incubates the eggs in his mouth, and the spines hurt.
Also called: bagre-couma, bagre
- common size
- 40–60 cm
- maximum
- 97 cm
- common weight
- 0.8–2.8 kg
- record/max.
- 30.0 kg
- depth
- 1–15 m
- ideal water
- 27–30 °C
who is the couma sea catfish
A marine catfish of the family Ariidae that prefers murky estuary waters and the lower reaches of rivers, from the Gulf of Paria (Venezuela) to Pernambuco, including the Guianas and the Amazon mouth. It feeds mainly on crustaceans, on the bottom. Its lifespan is probably short: the maximum recorded age is 5 years, with slower growth during the two dry periods of the year. During spawning the male gathers the fertilized eggs, about 2 mm, and incubates them in his mouth until they hatch. The flesh is delicate and highly prized, sold fresh and salted. In sport fishing it is caught with natural bait on the bottom and needs care around its spines, which cause painful wounds.
fun facts
- The male collects the fertilized eggs and incubates them in his mouth until they hatch.
- Each female lays 100 to 165 eggs about 2 mm across.
- FishBase classifies the species as traumatogenic: the fin spines wound.
identification
Rounded head, flattened on top, with a very rough bony shield; slightly subterminal mouth and three pairs of barbels (one maxillary and two mandibular). Stiff spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins, as in all marine catfish. Reaches about 97 cm. Other marine catfish on the same coast, such as the uritinga and gurijuba, look similar; when in doubt, treat the fish as a marine catfish and check the rules for the suspected species.
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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.
where found
Estuaries and lower reaches of rivers on the north coast and part of the northeast coast, from Amapá to Pernambuco. Outside Brazil, from the Gulf of Paria (Venezuela) to the Guianas and Suriname; FishBase also lists Colombia.
Habitat: Murky waters of estuaries and lower river courses, over mud and sand bottoms; channels, river mouths and mangrove edges. To spawn, the pair uses a depression in the sand.
coast
states
Amapá, Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco
when to fish
best season
It can be caught year-round. FishBase records two periods of slower growth, during the two dry seasons of the year (March and August to November). The exact spawning season has not been confirmed.
best time of day
Night and twilight. Searches for food on the bottom, most active at night, at dawn and at dusk. By day it stays in the deeper, murkier channels.
what affects the couma sea catfish
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
Little effect in the warm waters of the north coast.
atmospheric pressure
Little effect; a thunderstorm with lightning means getting out of the water.
moon
New moon and spring tides stir the bottom more and move the fish.
rain
Heavy rain lowers salinity and scatters the fish, but murky water doesn't bother it.
water level
Better with the river rising or falling slowly; when the river is very low, the fish tend to stay in the channels.
noise
Not very sensitive; darkness and murky water hide the angler.
wind
Little effect, except in open bays, where wind raises chop and makes anchoring difficult.
tide
Fish the flood and ebb tides, with the water moving; at slack tide (estofa) the bites drop off.
depth
2 to 10 m, in channels and along mudbank edges.
how to fish
- rod
- 6' to 7', medium action, 20 to 30 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- 4000 to 6000 spinning reel or low-profile baitcaster 300
- line
- braid 30 to 40 lb
- leader
- 0.50 to 0.60 mm monofilament, 60 to 80 cm
- hook
- circle hook 3/0 to 6/0, which hooks at the corner of the mouth and makes release easy
natural baits
- fresh shrimp
- pieces of sardine or mullet
- crab or swimming crab
accessories
- thick gloves
- long-nose pliers
- pyramid or olive sinker of 40 to 120 g
tip from an angler
Enough sinker to hold bottom in the current, and fresh, strong-smelling bait. Wait for the catfish to swallow the bait before reeling in, and wear gloves when removing the hook.
rules for the couma sea 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.
Hold the catfish firmly by the body, with thick gloves and away from the spines, never by the head. If it's a male with its mouth full of eggs, release it right away without opening its mouth. Remove the hook with long pliers; if it swallowed the hook deep, cut the line flush.
in the kitchen
Delicate, highly prized flesh, sold fresh and salted. Good in moqueca, caldeirada and grilled over coals; clean it carefully because of the spines.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00676, b = 3.16; 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
The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
- scientific FishBase: Sciades couma (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology and IUCN status. Page checked on October 13, 2026. The typical size follows FishBase's common length of 50 cm; the typical weight and depth range are editorial estimates, and the maximum weight of 30 kg is the published figure, well above what the length-weight relationship predicts (about 13 kg for 97 cm). FishBase gives the southern limit of the range as Pernambuco; the species page's list of states simply follows that coastal range.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Sciades coumaNames 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.
- official Portaria SAP/MAPA nº 616, de 8 de março de 2022 (pesca amadora)General rules on gear, quota and licensing. We found no minimum-size rule, closed season or specific prohibition for bagre-couma in the federal closed-season and minimum-size lists, nor among the rules already gathered by the app (checked on October 13, 2026). The general rule applies; also check the rules of the state where you will fish.
