quakerfish
Malacanthus brevirostris
Fish of the outer reefs of the eastern Pacific, which lives in pairs in a burrow that it digs itself in the sand. It is sold fresh and also used for aquariums.
Also called: bom-nome-de-focinho-curto, matajuelo ñato, quakerfish
- maximum
- 32 cm
- record/max.
- 0.1 kg
- depth
- 14–45 m
who is the quakerfish
The shorthead tilefish is of the family Malacanthidae and reaches 32 cm, weighing up to 61 g. It lives in open, barren areas on the slopes of outer reefs, over rocks or sand near the reefs, generally between 14 and 45 m, where it occurs in pairs. It builds its own burrow, often under a rock on the sand. In Latin America it is recorded from Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Panama, and the species occurs throughout the Indo-Pacific. Juveniles have a pelagic phase up to at least 5 cm, so they are seldom seen on the bottom. It is sold fresh and also for aquariums.
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 quakerfish.
fun facts
- It has a pelagic phase up to at least 5 cm, before living on the bottom.
identification
Elongated fish with a round cross-section and a short snout, as the common name matajuelo ñato indicates. Like others in the family, it has long dorsal and anal fins. It is usually seen in pairs, over sand or rock near the outer reefs, beside a burrow it builds itself, which helps locate it.
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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
In Latin America it is recorded from Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Panama, in the eastern Pacific, on outer reefs. The species occurs throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Habitat: Open slopes of outer reefs, over sand and rock, generally from 14 to 45 m, in a burrow.
rules for the quakerfish
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.
Poses no danger to anglers. Small fish: handle it with wet hands and release it quickly.
in the kitchen
It is sold fresh.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0055, b = 3.03; 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: Malacanthus brevirostris (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Malacanthus brevirostrisNames by country and language.