glasseye
Heteropriacanthus cruentatus
A reddish bigeye of shallow reefs, mainly around islands, with nocturnal habits. It is considered a sport fish and sold fresh, but it can carry ciguatera.
Also called: olho-de-cão-vermelho, catalufa de roca, ojón, glasseye
- maximum
- 51 cm
- record/max.
- 2.7 kg
- depth
- 3–35 m
who is the glasseye
The redeye bigeye is a fish of the family Priacanthidae, with a compressed body, reaching 50.7 cm and up to 2.7 kg. It lives on lagoon reefs and outer reefs, mainly around islands, generally at 3 to 35 m. By day it stays alone or in small groups under overhangs, and at dusk it can gather in large numbers. At night it feeds on octopuses, shrimp, stomatopods, crabs, small fish and polychaetes. It has small commercial fishing, the flesh is sold fresh, and the species is considered a sport 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 glasseye; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It produces sounds.
identification
Silvery pink body, sometimes speckled with red or entirely red, with faint dark dots on the middle fins. The pelvic fins are darkened or pale, without well-defined spots. It can be confused with the longfin bigeye, of the same family, but that one lives deeper, generally between 165 and 200 m, and has a much longer last dorsal spine.
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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
It occurs in the Atlantic and the southwestern Indian Ocean; it was once circumglobal. In Latin America it is found from Mexico and the Caribbean to Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.
Habitat: Lagoon reefs and outer reefs, mainly around islands, generally 3 to 35 m, under overhangs during the day.
coast
when to fish
best time of day
Nighttime. Nocturnal: by day it stays alone or in small groups under overhangs; at dusk it can gather in large numbers, and at night it comes out to feed.
rules for the glasseye
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.
There are reports of ciguatera, a poisoning from eating reef fish, so weigh this before taking it home. It has spines in its fins and lives among rocks and ledges, so hold it carefully when releasing it.
in the kitchen
The flesh is sold fresh, but there are reports of ciguatera, so choose fish of known origin.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01585, b = 2.88; 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: Heteropriacanthus cruentatus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Heteropriacanthus cruentatusNames 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.
