Closed season in Goiás (state rule)
01/11 to 28/02GO
Allowed: Sport and guided fishing only in reservoirs, catch and release with barbless hooks (no keeping, transporting or eating). Subsistence: up to 5 kg per day, for household consumption only.
catalog
Loricariidae · omnivore
cascudo-pitanga
Pseudacanthicus pitanga
Freshwateressential profile
Armored catfish up to 30 cm, with orange to red fins, described from the Tocantins River. It is caught for the aquarium trade and exported to Europe and the United States.
Also called: cascudo-pitanga, pitanga
- maximum
- 30 cm
overview
who is the cascudo-pitanga
The cascudo-pitanga belongs to the family Loricariidae, the armored catfish: an elongated, flattened body covered in bony plates, with a suckermouth on the underside. It reaches 30 cm standard length. It was described in 2015 from specimens of the Tocantins River basin, in northern Brazil. It lives in tropical freshwater rivers, between the bottom and midwater. The name comes from Tupi and means red, for the color of its fins. It is caught for the aquarium trade, and many specimens are exported, mainly to Europe and the United States.
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-pitanga; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- The name pitanga comes from Tupi and means red.
how to recognize it
identification
Fins ranging from intense orange to red, which give the species its name. The body has dark spots that join into zigzag bands along the lateral keels, the belly has no spots, and the head has faint spots. Among relatives in the same genus, it is told apart from Pseudacanthicus serratus and P. fordii (dark background with white dots) and from P. histrix and P. spinosus (grey background with black spots). The most similar is P. leopardus.
how cascudo-pitanga fishing looks
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.
distribution
open on the large map where found
Described from the Tocantins River basin, in northern Brazil, with records in Tocantins, Goiás and Pará (Itacaiúnas River).
Habitat: Tropical freshwater rivers, between the bottom and midwater, in the Tocantins basin.
native to the basins
Tocantins-Araguaia
rules for the cascudo-pitanga
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.
Spawning closure (piracema) in the Araguaia River basin
01/11 to 28/02GOTOPAMT
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with handline, rod, or spinning or baitcasting reel. Fish may only be eaten on site, not transported. Competitions prohibited. Subsistence: 3 kg + 1 fish. State rules (GO and TO) may be stricter.
Spawning closure (piracema) in the Tocantins and Gurupi river basins
01/11 to 28/02TOPAMAGO
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with on-site consumption. Subsistence: 5 kg + 1 fish. State rules may be stricter.
Spawning closure (piracema) in Tocantins (state rule)
01/11 to 28/02TO
Allowed: In 2025/26: catch and release with barbless hooks and recreational fishing card; subsistence fishing on foot or from a rowboat, with simple pole or handline.
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 244/2025 (2025/26 season); INIs MPA/MMA nº 12 and 13/2011
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.
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 has plates and spines that can hurt your hand. Hold it by the body, carefully, and return it to the water.
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 pitanga (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 pitangaNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
