banded puffer
Colomesus psittacus
A pufferfish of shallow waters and soft bottoms, its body covered in spines, that enters fresh water in northern Brazil and inflates when threatened.
Also called: mamaiacu, baiacu, corrotucho listado, banded puffer
- maximum
- 29 cm
- depth
- 1–40 m
who is the banded puffer
A pufferfish of the family Tetraodontidae, reaching 29.3 cm. It lives alone or in small groups of two or three, never in schools, in shallow coastal waters over soft bottoms, and often also in fresh water. It eats mainly mollusks, which it crushes with its strong teeth. It occurs from the Gulf of Paria, between Venezuela and Trinidad, to the Amazon River in Brazil. It has little commercial importance and is also sold as an aquarium fish.
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 banded puffer.
fun facts
- It inflates its body like a balloon to ward off predators.
identification
A short, deep body covered in small spines, except on the snout, at the base of the pectorals and on the caudal peduncle. The teeth are fused into strong plates in each jaw. The back is dark green with black cross-bands, the belly is white, and the fins are dark green or dark brown. The black bands on the green back are the easiest mark to recognize.
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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 the Gulf of Paria, between Venezuela and Trinidad, to the Amazon River in Brazil, and in the Guianas, in shallow coastal waters, in estuaries and also in fresh water.
Habitat: Shallow coastal waters and estuaries, on soft bottoms, and often also in fresh water.
native to the basins
coast
rules for the banded puffer
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.
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. Its spiny skin calls for care when handling. Like other pufferfish, it can carry toxin, so do not take it home to eat.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.02512, b = 2.86; 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
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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: Colomesus psittacus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Colomesus psittacusNames 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.