matrinchã-colombiana
Brycon henni
Matrinchã from the trans-Andean basins of Colombia, up to 35 cm. It has commercial fishing and aquaculture, and it occasionally turns up on the line.
Also called: matrinchã-colombiana, matrinchã, sabaleta
- maximum
- 35 cm
- record/max.
- 0.5 kg
who is the matrinchã-colombiana
The Colombian matrinchã is a freshwater bryconid, reaching 35 cm standard length and 470 g. It lives in the trans-Andean basins of Colombia, between the bottom and the midwater. Brycon is the genus of matrinchãs, active fish with a fusiform body. Like matrinchãs in general, it eats fruit and insects. It has commercial fishing and is also raised in commercial aquaculture. It poses no danger to anglers. In Colombia it is known as sabaleta.
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 matrinchã-colombiana; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Fusiform characin reaching 35 cm standard length, typical of matrinchãs and similar to the other matrinchãs in the family. The area tells them apart: this one lives in the trans-Andean basins of Colombia, the Orinoco matrinchã occurs in the upper Orinoco basin, and the Andean matrinchã is from Ecuador and Peru.
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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
Trans-Andean basins of Colombia, in freshwater rivers. Does not occur in Brazil.
Habitat: Freshwater rivers of the trans-Andean basins of Colombia.
rules for the matrinchã-colombiana
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.
Robust river fish: hold it with both hands, remove the hook and release it right away, supporting the body.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01622, b = 3.02; 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: Brycon henni (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Brycon henniNames by country and language.
