biajaca
Nandopsis tetracanthus
Cichlid endemic to Cuba, from rivers, lakes and river mouths, reaching 20 cm. It eats small fish, shrimp and aquatic insects.
Also called: ciclídeo-cubano, biajaca, bijaca
- maximum
- 20 cm
who is the biajaca
The Cuban cichlid belongs to the family Cichlidae and reaches 20 cm. It is endemic to Cuba and lives in fast-flowing rivers and in lakes, preferably among plants. It also occurs at river mouths, where the water is brackish. It eats worms, small fish, shrimp and aquatic insects. It lays up to 600 eggs per spawning. The water there is between 24 and 30 °C. It is caught commercially and also appears in the aquarium trade.
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 biajaca.
identification
Cichlid of fresh and brackish water, endemic to Cuba, reaching 20 cm. It lives in fast-flowing rivers, in lakes and at river mouths. Because it only occurs in Cuba, the island already separates it from Nandopsis haitiensis, which lives on Hispaniola. It tends to stay among aquatic plants.
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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
Endemic to Cuba, in fast-flowing rivers, lakes and brackish river mouths.
Habitat: Fast-flowing rivers, lakes with plants and brackish river mouths.
rules for the biajaca
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.
It poses no danger to anglers, but the fin spines can prick the hand. Hold it by the body, with a wet hand, and release it quickly.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.02692, b = 3.03; 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: Nandopsis tetracanthus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Nandopsis tetracanthusNames by country and language.