tete sea catfish
Ariopsis seemanni
Sea and brackish-water catfish of the Americas' Pacific, reaching 44 cm and going up rivers. The male incubates the eggs in its mouth, and the spines wound.
Also called: bagre-tete, bagre tete, tete sea catfish
- maximum
- 44 cm
- record/max.
- 0.9 kg
who is the tete sea catfish
Fish of the family Ariidae, a catfish reaching 44 cm. It lives in coastal marine and brackish waters and goes up medium and large rivers, at least 25 m above sea level. It occurs in the eastern Pacific, from El Salvador to Panama, also present in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Males incubate the eggs in their mouths. It is caught commercially and sold fresh or salted. It has strong spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins, which wound anyone handling it.
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 tete sea catfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated sea catfish, scaleless and oval in cross-section, with a narrow mouth, reaching 44 cm. The dorsal and pectoral spines are strong. The traits that separate it from other catfish of the genus are in the skull bones and can only be seen with the fish prepared, so out of the water it is easy to confuse it with its relatives.
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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
Eastern Pacific, from El Salvador to Panama, also present in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
Habitat: Coastal and brackish waters, with entry into medium and large rivers.
rules for the tete 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.
Strong dorsal and pectoral spines that wound. Handle it with care.
in the kitchen
Sold fresh or salted.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00617, b = 3.11; 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
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: Ariopsis seemanni (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Ariopsis seemanniNames by country and language.
