A long-bodied fish with a mouth full of teeth, living mainly in still water: reservoirs, lagoons and eddies of the upper Paraná and São Francisco. It eats almost only fish, mostly lambari and other small fish, and feeds much less in winter. It is a frequent catch for anglers using small artificial lures in São Paulo and Minas reservoirs, and a fun target on ultralight tackle. Its teeth cut thin line and injure hands.
fun facts
In Goiás, another species of the genus (Acestrorhynchus pantaneiro) is listed as allochthonous in the Paranaíba, having arrived through the Itaipu fish-passage channel.
Acestrorhynchus means needle snout.
how to recognize it
identification
Elongated body, silvery to yellowish, with a rounded black spot behind the head and an oval black spot, elongated horizontally, at the base of the tail that extends onto the central rays. Yellowish fins. Large mouth with canine teeth. The saicanga has a humped back and a head spot elongated vertically.
how peixe-cachorro fishing looks
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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.
Small spinner reeled in fast alongside vegetation. Fluorocarbon leader because of the teeth.
what the law says
rules for the peixe-cachorro
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 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 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 the Paraná River basin
01/11 to 28/02SPPRMGGOMSDF
Allowed: Recreational fishing only for non-native species and hybrids (peacock bass, tilapia, black bass, carp, croaker, etc.; piauçu remains prohibited), with handline, simple pole, or rod with spinning or baitcasting reel, up to 10 kg + 1 fish. In rivers, from shore only; in reservoirs, from a boat or from shore. Prohibited: floodplain lakes, aquatic-animal bait, within 1,500 m of dams and waterfalls, and within 500 m of confluences. Tournaments only in reservoirs and only with non-native species.
Spawning closure (piracema) in Minas Gerais (state rule)
01/11 to 28/02MG
Allowed: Only exotic or hybrid species, 3 kg + 1 fish per day, with handline, rod, simple pole, or spinning or baitcasting reel. Nets prohibited. Keep the minimum distances from dams and reservoirs.
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.
Spawning closure (piracema) in the São Francisco River basin (rivers and reservoirs)
01/11 to 28/02MGBAPEALSEGODF
Allowed: Recreational fishing from a boat or from shore with handline, rod, spinning or baitcasting reel, up to 5 kg + 1 fish. Prohibited within 1,000 m of dams, waterfalls and rapids, and within 500 m of confluences. Floodplain lakes have a longer closed season (see next item).
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.
Use pliers to remove the treble hook and release quickly.
in the kitchen
White flesh with many bones; fried whole.
calculator
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00912, b = 3.07; FishBase). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
