bagre-de-maracaibo
Cathorops nuchalis
Catfish of the lower stretches of rivers and estuaries, from Lake Maracaibo to Guyana, up to 24.5 cm. It has commercial fishing and spines that injure.
Also called: bagre-de-maracaibo, bagre
- maximum
- 24 cm
who is the bagre-de-maracaibo
The bagre-de-Maracaibo is an ariid catfish of fresh and brackish water and reaches 24.5 cm. It lives in the lower stretches of rivers, from Venezuela to Guyana, through Trinidad, and its range starts at Lake Maracaibo. It occurs mostly in fresh water, but also enters estuaries. It has commercial fishing. Like other catfish of the family, it has strong spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins that injure, so handling requires care.
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 bagre-de-maracaibo; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated catfish, with three pairs of barbels and rigid spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins that injure. Its range separates the species from its relatives: it goes from Lake Maracaibo to Guyana, with no records in Brazil, and reaches 24.5 cm. Cathorops has many species that look alike, so confirm the range and size carefully.
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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
From Venezuela (Lake Maracaibo) to Guyana and Trinidad, in the lower stretches of rivers and estuaries. Not recorded in Brazil.
Habitat: Lower stretches of rivers, in fresh or slightly brackish water, and in estuaries.
rules for the bagre-de-maracaibo
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.
The spines of the dorsal and pectoral fins injure. Hold it with a cloth, remove the hook with pliers and return it without touching the spine.
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 nuchalis (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 nuchalisNames by country and language.
