green guapote
Mayaheros beani
Guapote endemic to the Pacific slope of Mexico, reaching 30 cm. It lives in the lower reaches of rivers and is caught commercially.
Also called: guapote-verde, mojarra verde, green guapote, sinaloa cichlid
- maximum
- 30 cm
who is the green guapote
Cichlid of the family Cichlidae reaching 30 cm. It is endemic to Mexico, on the Pacific slope, and lives in the lower reaches of rivers, in fresh and even brackish water. It prefers water of moderate to high hardness and pH above 7.5. Both parents defend the eggs and larvae. It has already become established in California, USA, but was eradicated there. It is caught commercially and also used in aquariums.
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 green guapote; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Freshwater and brackish cichlid from the Pacific slope of Mexico, up to 30 cm. It lives in the lower reaches of rivers, and the green that gives the fish its name is a trait of the species. It tolerates brackish water in the lower reaches of rivers, which helps identify the habitat where it is found, and at this point it differs from freshwater cichlids of the same slope, such as Amphilophus istlanus.
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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 the Pacific slope of Mexico, in fresh and brackish water. It has already become established in California, USA, but there it became extinct.
Habitat: Lower reaches of rivers, in fresh and brackish water, with moderate to high hardness.
rules for the green guapote
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 = 0.01445, b = 3.08; 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: Mayaheros beani (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Mayaheros beaniNames by country and language.
