Selene setapinnis
Very deep-bodied, flattened silvery carangid that lives near the bottom off the coast down to about 55 m and forms schools. It takes small bait and reaches the Southeast and South markets fresh.
Also called: galo-verdadeiro, peixe-galo (nome também usado para Selene vomer), fralda-rota, Atlantic moonfish, moonfish
The galo-verdadeiro is a close relative of the lookdown (Selene vomer) and is often sold under the same name. It lives in the western Atlantic, from Nova Scotia (Canada) to Mar del Plata, Argentina, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean; in the eastern Atlantic it is replaced by Selene dorsalis, and the two may be the same species. Adults stay near the bottom, from shallow water down to at least 54 m, and sometimes rise in schools toward the surface. Juveniles use the mud bottoms of estuaries and coastal waters. They eat small fish and crustaceans. FishBase gives up to 60 cm and 4.6 kg, but markets in Rio de Janeiro show fish of 37 to 46 cm, weighing 0.75 to 1 kg. It is a commercial and subsistence fish, and in recreational fishing it is a bottom supplement, without the reputation of the jacks.
Very high, short and flattened body, silvery, with a bluish back and no stripes or spots. The face profile is almost vertical and concave, the mouth is small, and the pelvic fins are very short. The soft dorsal has 21 rays and the anal fin 17, after 3 spines. The lookdown (Selene vomer) is similar; reliable separation comes from proportions and ray counts, in an identification guide. Jacks (Caranx) are more elongated, and pompanos (Trachinotus) have rounded heads.
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.
The whole Brazilian coast, on sand and mud bottoms of the coast and inner shelf. FishBase extends the species in the western Atlantic to Mar del Plata (Argentina), and there are records from Uruguay. In Rio de Janeiro it is sold in markets as peixe-galo.
Habitat: Sand and mud bottoms of the coast and inner shelf, from the surf zone down to about 55 m; juveniles enter estuaries and brackish bays.
coast
Found all year, but in the Southeast and South fishing is usually better in the warm months, when coastal water warms up. In the Northeast and North it varies little.
Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Feeds by day, most active at dawn and late afternoon, near the bottom.
Cold water pushes the school away from the coast in the South; in upwelling it drops to the bottom.
Not very sensitive.
Small effect.
Fresh, muddy water from runoff scatters the school.
Not applicable at sea.
A school near the bottom tolerates an anchored boat; it scatters when a motor passes overhead.
Rough seas make it hard to anchor over the school.
With the tide running, the school moves along channels and bottom edges.
Near the bottom, 3 to 50 m; rises when it feeds in midwater.
lures
natural baits
accessories
Small bait kept still near the bottom, with the line taut: the mouth is small, and the fish drops the hook if it feels weight.
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 (Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667/2026). We found no specific minimum size or federal closed season for the species.
In recreational fishing in Mexican federal waters, each angler may keep up to 10 marine fish per day, no more than 5 of the same species. The galo-verdadeiro has no limit of its own in the rule. Fish over the limit go back into the water alive, and a retained fish may not be sold. Anyone fishing from a boat needs a permit from Conapesca.
Slender body and delicate slime: wet your hands, hold it from below without squeezing, and release it quickly. With a circle hook, the fish is almost always hooked in the corner of the mouth.
White, tender flesh, good fried whole or baked; FishBase calls it a good table fish, sold fresh. FishBase records ciguatera reports, so on Caribbean reef areas check with local fishers before eating large fish. In Rio de Janeiro, nematode larvae have been found in fish from the markets: cook it well or freeze it before eating it raw.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01259, b = 2.96; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
—
The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on field experience from anglers and guides. They are not official data or measurements made for this species and may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the rule and link. Common sizes and weights are ranges around the common length reported by FishBase, with the weight calculated from the length-weight relationship.
Your location is saved only on this device and feeds the forecast, the map and the "today" on the home page.
