brazilian silversides
Atherinella brasiliensis
Silverside of brackish lagoons and protected areas along the South American coast, including Brazil. It is subsistence fishing and has little presence on the line.
Also called: peixe-rei-brasileiro, tinícalo común, tinico de laguna, brazilian silversides
- maximum
- 18 cm
who is the brazilian silversides
Fish of the family Atherinopsidae, up to 17.7 cm and common size near 12 cm. It lives on soft bottoms in brackish or hypersaline coastal lagoons and in protected areas of the open sea. It occurs in northern and eastern South America, from Venezuela and Colombia to Brazil and Uruguay. It feeds on zooplankton. Fishing is mostly subsistence, that is, for local consumption.
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 brazilian silversides; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated fish, slender and silvery, with the silver band on the flanks typical of silversides. It lives on soft bottoms of brackish lagoons and protected areas, and reaches 17.7 cm, larger than Atherinella blackburni, which reaches 13 cm and lives on sandy beaches. Size and habitat help separate the two.
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.
where found
It occurs in northern and eastern South America, from Venezuela and Colombia to Brazil and Uruguay, in brackish lagoons and protected areas.
Habitat: Soft bottoms of brackish or hypersaline lagoons and of protected coastal areas.
coast
rules for the brazilian silversides
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.
Harmless to anglers, with no dangerous spines or teeth.
in the kitchen
It is subsistence fishing, that is, for local consumption.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0055, b = 3.1; 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
—
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: Atherinella brasiliensis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Atherinella brasiliensisNames 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.
