matrinchã-do-equador
Brycon alburnus
Matrinchã from the trans-Andean basins of Ecuador, up to 32.6 cm. It has commercial fishing and is nearly threatened, so it is best to release what you catch.
Also called: matrinchã-do-equador, matrinchã, dama montanea, sábalo
- maximum
- 33 cm
who is the matrinchã-do-equador
The Ecuadorian matrinchã is a freshwater bryconid, reaching 32.6 cm standard length. It lives in the trans-Andean basins of Ecuador and spawns in schools among the plants during the rainy season. Like matrinchãs in general, it eats fruit and insects. It has commercial fishing and is considered nearly threatened, so releasing what is caught is best for the species. Dama montanea and sábalo are local names in Ecuador.
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-do-equador; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Fusiform characin reaching 32.6 cm standard length, medium-sized, similar to the other matrinchãs. It can be confused with the Andean matrinchã, which also occurs in Ecuador. The maximum size of 32.6 cm is larger than that of the Andean, at 27.3 cm, which helps tell them apart.
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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 Ecuador. Does not occur in Brazil.
Habitat: Freshwater rivers of the trans-Andean basins, where schools gather among the plants in the rainy season.
rules for the matrinchã-do-equador
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 = 0.01413, b = 3.05; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). 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 alburnus (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 alburnusNames by country and language.
