mexican mojarra (carapeba-mexicana)
Eugerres mexicanus
Freshwater mojarra from southern Mexico and northern Guatemala, reaching 24.2 cm, a food fish.
Also called: carapeba-mexicana, mojarra lacandona, mojarra mexicana, mexican mojarra
- maximum
- 24 cm
- record/max.
- 0.3 kg
who is the mexican mojarra (carapeba-mexicana)
Fish of the family Gerreidae that reaches 24.2 cm. It lives only in fresh water, on the Atlantic slopes of southern Mexico and northern Guatemala. Unlike other species of the genus, it does not occur in salt water. It stays near the bottom, in canals and rivers with sandy and muddy bottoms and alkaline water. It was collected in a canal with water at 26 °C. It is a food fish and is commercially fished.
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 mexican mojarra (carapeba-mexicana); in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Freshwater fish with a short, deep body, reaching 24.2 cm and weighing up to 347 g. Unlike other species of the genus, it lives only in fresh water, in canals with sandy and muddy bottoms. Habitat is the main clue for telling it apart from the carapebas and carapicus, which live in salt and brackish water.
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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
Atlantic slope of southern Mexico and northern Guatemala, in fresh water.
Habitat: Canals and rivers of fresh water, near the bottom, with sandy and muddy bottoms and alkaline pH.
rules for the mexican mojarra (carapeba-mexicana)
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 poses no danger to anglers, but the dorsal and anal fins have spines: hold it with a wet hand and release it carefully.
in the kitchen
It is a food fish, used as food in the region.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0138, b = 3.09; 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: Eugerres mexicanus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Eugerres mexicanusNames by country and language.
