peixe-rei-chileno
Basilichthys microlepidotus
Silverside from rivers in central Chile, up to 31 cm. Of no interest to anglers and vulnerable, so release what you catch.
Also called: peixe-rei-chileno, peixe-rei
- maximum
- 31 cm
- record/max.
- 0.2 kg
who is the peixe-rei-chileno
The Chilean pejerrey is a silverside fish of the family Atherinopsidae, reaching 31 cm and 220 g. It has a slender body, like other silversides. It lives in rivers in central Chile, from the Huasco River to Valparaíso, and does not occur in freshwater east of the Andes. It stays in the midwater and is of no interest to anglers. It is considered vulnerable, so it is best to return what is caught.
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 peixe-rei-chileno; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Slender, elongated fish with a silver band along the side, like other silversides. Among the silversides of Chilean rivers, it reaches 31 cm: the austral pejerrey reaches 36.5 cm and the Maule pejerrey 30.5 cm, so size helps little and location separates better: this one lives from the Huasco River to Valparaíso, while the austral runs from the Maipo to Chiloé.
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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
Rivers of central Chile, from the Huasco River to Valparaíso. Does not occur in freshwater east of the Andes.
Habitat: Freshwater rivers, in the midwater.
rules for the peixe-rei-chileno
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.
Small, delicate fish: release it quickly and with wet hands.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00447, b = 3.16; 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: Basilichthys microlepidotus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Basilichthys microlepidotusNames by country and language.
