river carpsucker
Carpiodes carpio
Fish of rivers and lakes of North America, present in Mexico, up to 64 cm. It lives on the bottom, is caught for subsistence and sometimes on rod.
Also called: carpa-sugadora-do-rio, carpa-sugadora, matalote chato, river carpsucker
- maximum
- 64 cm
- record/max.
- 4.6 kg
who is the river carpsucker
The river carpsucker is a fish of the family Catostomidae and reaches 64 cm and 4.6 kg. It occurs in North America, in the Mississippi basin and the Gulf rivers, down to the Rio Grande, and also in Mexico. It lives in lakes, pools and backwaters of small to large streams and rivers. It eats organic detritus. In fishing it is used for subsistence and also appears as a sport fish. The maximum recorded age is 10 years.
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 river carpsucker; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Fish with a fusiform body and a lower mouth facing downward, a typical trait of catostomids. It has no teeth in the mouth. Its body shape is similar to that of the black buffalo and other carpsuckers, so the location and the habit of living on the bottom, eating detritus, help identify the species.
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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
It occurs in Mexico; in North America it lives in the Mississippi basin and the Gulf rivers, from the Mississippi to the Rio Grande.
Habitat: Lakes, pools and backwaters of small to large streams and rivers.
rules for the river carpsucker
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.
A fusiform, sturdy fish: hold it with both hands, support the body and return it promptly.
in the kitchen
It is a subsistence fish, eaten by the people who catch it.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01023, b = 3.01; 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: Carpiodes carpio (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Carpiodes carpioNames by country and language.
