red cusk-eel
Genypterus chilensis
Reddish conger of rocky bottoms and slope, from southern Peru to southern Chile. It is a commercial fishery fish.
Also called: congro-vermelho, congrio colorado, congrio rosado, red cusk-eel
- maximum
- 150 cm
who is the red cusk-eel
The red cusk-eel is an elongated fish of the family Ophidiidae that lives on or near the bottom, in rocky areas of the deep shelf and the upper slope, from southern Peru to southern Chile. It reaches 150 cm in length. It lays pelagic eggs, which float in a gelatinous mass. It is commercially fished. There is no record of danger to people. Its range is farther south than that of the black cusk-eel, and the two overlap only in southern Peru and northern Chile.
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 red cusk-eel; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It lays pelagic eggs that float in a gelatinous mass.
identification
Elongated, reddish body, with long dorsal and anal fins, which join the tail. The name comes from its color: colorado means reddish in Spanish. In the same region, the black cusk-eel (Genypterus maculatus) is darker and occurs farther north, from Peru to northern Chile. In Peru, the name congrio rosado is also used for the Pacific brotula (Brotula clarkae), which has barbels on its snout and chin.
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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
In Latin America, it occurs from southern Peru to southern Chile, on rocky shelf and slope bottoms.
Habitat: Rocky bottoms of the deep shelf and the upper slope.
rules for the red cusk-eel
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 record of danger to people. As it lives on the bottom, release it carefully and use pliers to remove the hook.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00275, b = 3.16; 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: Genypterus chilensis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Genypterus chilensisNames by country and language.
