belize sea catfish
Cathorops belizensis
Catfish of the mangrove channels of Belize, with stinging spines. It has a commercial fishery and is rarely seen on the line.
Also called: bagre-de-Belize, bagre de Belice, bagre de Belize, belize sea catfish
- maximum
- 25 cm
who is the belize sea catfish
Catfish of the family Ariidae, up to 24.8 cm. It occurs in Belize, in the mangrove channels near Belize City. It lives in brackish water, close to the bottom, in mangrove areas. It has a commercial fishery. Like other marine catfish, it has fin spines that sting, so handle it with care. Among the Cathorops, it is told apart by a dorsal spine the same length as the pectoral and a very granulated head. Its known range is restricted to the mangrove channels of Belize.
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 belize sea catfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Catfish with a scaleless body and a head with a very granulated bony shield. The pelvic fin is pale. The dorsal spine is the same length as the pectoral one, which has short, barely visible serrations on the rear edge. This sets it apart from Cathorops higuchii, from Honduras, whose dorsal spine is longer than the pectoral.
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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
It occurs in Belize, in the mangrove channels near Belize City.
Habitat: Mangrove channels, in brackish water and near the bottom.
rules for the belize 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.
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 stinging spines: hold the catfish away from the fins and remove the hook carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00468, b = 3.13; 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: Cathorops belizensis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Cathorops belizensisNames by country and language.
