armed croaker
Bairdiella armata
Uncommon croaker of shallow coastal waters of the Pacific, from the Gulf of California to Panama, entering estuaries and river mouths.
Also called: bororó-pintado, corvineta armada, ronco armado, armed croaker
- maximum
- 30 cm
who is the armed croaker
The spotted croaker (armada) is an uncommon fish of the family Sciaenidae, living in shallow coastal waters of the tropical eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California to Panama. It reaches 30 cm, with a common size of 20 cm. It enters estuaries and river mouths, and feeds mainly on crustaceans. It has a dorsal fin divided into two parts, as croakers generally do. Because it is uncommon, there are no records of its use in fishing.
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 armed croaker.
identification
Elongated body, typical of croakers, with a dorsal fin divided into two parts. The Spanish name armada suggests strong spines, and the name pintada suggests spots on the body. It reaches 30 cm and lives in shallow coastal waters of the Pacific, like other small croakers of the region, entering estuaries and river mouths.
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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 the Gulf of California to Panama, in shallow coastal waters, estuaries and river mouths of Central America and Mexico.
Habitat: Shallow coastal waters, estuaries and river mouths.
rules for the armed croaker
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.
No venom danger. Handle the spines with care and release quickly the specimens you are not keeping.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00871, b = 3.07; 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: Bairdiella armata (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Bairdiella armataNames by country and language.