cascudo-palito
Sturisomatichthys aureus
Elongated armored catfish from Colombia, from the Magdalena, San Jorge and Cesar river basins, reaching 20 cm. Used commercially and in the aquarium trade.
Also called: cascudo-palito, palito, cascudo
- maximum
- 20 cm
who is the cascudo-palito
The cascudo palito is a freshwater armored catfish of the family Loricariidae, reaching 20 cm. It occurs in Colombia, in the Magdalena, San Jorge and Cesar river basins, in tropical water at 25 to 29 °C. It has an elongated body and bony plates along the sides, like other armored catfish. Like others in the genus, it partly breathes air. It has commercial fishing and is sold for aquariums, where it eats plants and roots. For rod-and-reel anglers it is not a featured species.
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-palito; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated armored catfish with bony plates along the sides, reaching 20 cm. It lives in the same basin as the cascudo cuchara (Dasyloricaria filamentosa), which reaches 32.2 cm, and size helps tell the two apart. In Colombia, the presence in the Magdalena, San Jorge and Cesar basins also helps locate the fish. Like other armored catfish, it has spines that call for care when handling.
Loading the next 7 days…
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
Colombia, in the Magdalena, San Jorge and Cesar river basins, in tropical freshwater.
Habitat: Tropical rivers of Colombia, in the Magdalena, San Jorge and Cesar basins.
rules for the cascudo-palito
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 known danger to anglers. Hold it with a cloth, because of the plates and spines.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00398, b = 3.11; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
—
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: Sturisomatichthys aureus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Sturisomatichthys aureusNames by country and language.
