Large armored catfish of the Amazon, up to 53 cm, with its body covered in plates and spines. It has commercial use and is displayed in public aquariums.
Also called: cascudo-carachama, carachama, carachama mama
The cascudo-carachama belongs to the family Loricariidae, the armored catfish: its body covered in bony plates and spines, with a suckermouth on the underside. It reaches 53 cm standard length, and there are reports of up to 70 cm total length. It lives on the bottom of freshwater rivers in the Amazon basin, in Brazil and Peru, in tropical waters of 22 to 27 degrees. It has commercial use, and the species is also displayed in public 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 spiny pleco; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
Reports cite a size of up to 70 cm total length.
how to recognize it
identification
Large armored catfish, its body covered in bony plates and spines, with a broad, flattened head and a suckermouth on the underside. It reaches 53 cm. The scientific name, hystrix, means porcupine, for the spines on its body. It belongs to the same genus as the cascudo-avião (Acanthicus adonis), which is recorded in the lower Tocantins River.
how spiny pleco fishing looks
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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.
Habitat: Bottom of tropical freshwater rivers, between 22 and 27 degrees.
native to the basins
Amazon
what the law says
rules for the spiny pleco
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency. Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
piracema closures in the basins where the species lives
Spawning closure (piracema) in Mato Grosso (all basins)
01/10 to 31/01MT
Allowed: All fishing modalities are prohibited in rivers, including catch and release (Law 9.096/2009, art. 19-A). Exceptions: subsistence fishing from shore (3 kg or 1 fish, no transport or sale) and scientific fishing. Law 13.159/2025 now allows licensed sport fishing in UHE/PCH hydropower reservoirs, natural lakes and border rivers, subject to a scientific study and a license from the environmental agency. We have not confirmed whether these licenses are already being issued.
Allowed: Recreational anglers with handline or rod, line and hook are outside the Annex II prohibitions, with a bag limit of 5 kg + 1 fish, unless a stricter state rule applies.
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.
Not dangerous, but the body plates and spines can hurt your hand. Hold it with both hands, by the body, and return it carefully.
calculator
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01549, b = 2.96; 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.
