pacific foureyed fish
Anableps dowii
Small fish of coastal lagoons and rivers in the Central American Pacific, with divided eyes that let it see above and below the water. It has little value for fishing.
Also called: peixe-quatro-olhos, cuatrojos, pacific foureyed fish
- maximum
- 22 cm
who is the pacific foureyed fish
Fish of the family Anablepidae, with an elongated body and large eyes, each divided in two by a horizontal band, which gives the impression of four eyes. It lives in fresh water and in coastal lagoons across the full range of salinity, in the Pacific drainages of Central America, from southern Mexico to Nicaragua. It reaches 22 cm, and females 34 cm. It is taken commercially, with no sport-fishing interest. It is also sold for aquariums and serves as a model in eye research.
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 pacific foureyed fish.
fun facts
- It is used in eye research.
identification
Large eyes, each divided into two parts by a horizontal band, which gives the impression of four eyes. An elongated body of a small fish that, like other four-eyed fishes, usually swims near the surface. It reaches 22 cm, and females 34 cm. Because it lives in lagoons and rivers, it is often found in fresh or brackish water.
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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
Pacific drainages of Central America, from southern Mexico to Nicaragua, in fresh water and coastal lagoons.
Habitat: Coastal lagoons and rivers, from fresh to salty water, near the surface.
rules for the pacific foureyed fish
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.
It has no spines or venom. Hold it carefully when releasing it, since it is a small, delicate fish.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00525, b = 3.15; 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: Anableps dowii (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Anableps dowiiNames by country and language.