cascudo-leopardo
Pseudacanthicus leopardus
Armored catfish endemic to Guyana, from the Rupununi River basin, reaching 15 cm. Used in the aquarium trade and commercial fishing.
Also called: cascudo-leopardo, cascudo, acari
- maximum
- 15 cm
who is the cascudo-leopardo
The leopard cascudo is a freshwater armored catfish of the family Loricariidae, reaching 15 cm. It is endemic to Guyana, in the Rupununi River basin, in tropical water at 24 to 27 °C. It lives on the bottom of rivers and has an armored body, with bony plates and spines that serve as defense. It has commercial use in the aquarium and in fishing. It is not a rod-and-reel species and has little interest for recreational angling.
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 cascudo-leopardo.
identification
Armored catfish with bony plates and strong spines, of small size, reaching 15 cm. The name refers to the dark leopard-like spots on its body. It lives in the Rupununi River basin in Guyana, and occurring in a single country and a single river helps identify the species. Handle it with care because of the spines.
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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
Rupununi River basin, in Guyana, in tropical freshwater. Endemic to the country.
Habitat: Bottom of tropical rivers in the Rupununi River basin, Guyana.
rules for the cascudo-leopardo
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.
The spines and plates can cut. Hold it with a cloth or glove and release it right away.
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.
- scientific FishBase: Pseudacanthicus leopardus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Pseudacanthicus leopardusNames by country and language.