Closed season in Goiás (state rule)
01/11 to 28/02GO
Allowed: Sport and guided fishing only in reservoirs, catch and release with barbless hooks (no keeping, transporting or eating). Subsistence: up to 5 kg per day, for household consumption only.
catalog
Serrasalmidae · omnivore
pacu-do-itacaiúnas
Tometes siderocarajensis
A rapids pacu from Pará, in the Itacaiúnas and Cateté rivers, one of the most sought after in the region's sport fishing.
Also called: pacu-do-itacaiúnas, pacu
- maximum
- 35 cm
overview
who is the pacu-do-itacaiúnas
A fish of the family Serrasalmidae, the pacus and piranhas, with a short, deep body. Reaches 35.2 cm. It lives in Brazil, in Pará, in the Itacaiúnas and Cateté rivers, in the Tocantins-Araguaia basin, in rapids with rocky outcrops covered by aquatic plants of the families Podostemaceae and Fabaceae, which serve as food. It shares the rapids with other serrasalmids adapted to them. Local, commercial and recreational fishers catch it often in the Itacaiúnas River, and according to them it is among the most sought-after species in the region's sport fishing.
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 pacu-do-itacaiúnas.
fun facts
- In the stomach of a large specimen there were mainly leaves and flowers of Podostemaceae, plants that grow on rocks in the rapids, as well as small fruits and a cricket.
how to recognize it
identification
A pacu with a short, deep body and a mouth that is terminal to slightly upturned. The clearest trait is the dark, dense pigmentation on the tips of the pelvic fin rays, the fins underneath the body, or on the whole fin, which separates it from the other species of the genus Tometes. In the rapids where it lives, it shares the habitat with other rapids pacus, such as Mylesinus paucisquamatus, Myleus setiger and Tometes ancylorhynchus.
how pacu-do-itacaiúnas fishing looks
Loading the next 7 days…
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.
distribution
open on the large map where found
It occurs in Brazil, in Pará, in the Itacaiúnas and Cateté rivers, in the Tocantins-Araguaia basin.
Habitat: Rapids of rivers with rocks covered by aquatic plants, in the Tocantins-Araguaia basin.
native to the basins
Tocantins-Araguaia
rules for the pacu-do-itacaiúnas
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.
piracema closures in the basins where the species lives
Spawning closure (piracema) in Mato Grosso (all basins)
01/10 to 31/01MT
Allowed: All fishing modalities are prohibited in rivers, including catch and release (Law 9.096/2009, art. 19-A). Exceptions: subsistence fishing from shore (3 kg or 1 fish, no transport or sale) and scientific fishing. Law 13.159/2025 now allows licensed sport fishing in UHE/PCH hydropower reservoirs, natural lakes and border rivers, subject to a scientific study and a license from the environmental agency. We have not confirmed whether these licenses are already being issued.
Spawning closure (piracema) in the Araguaia River basin
01/11 to 28/02GOTOPAMT
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with handline, rod, or spinning or baitcasting reel. Fish may only be eaten on site, not transported. Competitions prohibited. Subsistence: 3 kg + 1 fish. State rules (GO and TO) may be stricter.
Spawning closure (piracema) in the Tocantins and Gurupi river basins
01/11 to 28/02TOPAMAGO
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with on-site consumption. Subsistence: 5 kg + 1 fish. State rules may be stricter.
Spawning closure (piracema) in Tocantins (state rule)
01/11 to 28/02TO
Allowed: In 2025/26: catch and release with barbless hooks and recreational fishing card; subsistence fishing on foot or from a rowboat, with simple pole or handline.
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 244/2025 (2025/26 season); INIs MPA/MMA nº 12 and 13/2011
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.
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 has no sting or venom and poses no danger to anglers. Because it is highly sought after in sport fishing, handle it with a wet hand and return it to the water right after capture.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.02399, b = 2.99; 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: Tometes siderocarajensis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Tometes siderocarajensisNames 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.