smallmouth silverside
Chirostoma chapalae
Small silverside from Lake Chapala and the Lerma basin, in Mexico, up to 14 cm. Like other silversides, it forms schools. It is caught commercially.
Also called: peixe-rei-de-boca-pequena, charal de Chapala, charal, smallmouth silverside
- maximum
- 14 cm
- record/max.
- 0.0 kg
who is the smallmouth silverside
The smallmouth silverside is a fish of the family Atherinopsidae, a relative of the marine silversides, reaching 14 cm and 12 g. It is endemic to the Lerma River basin, in central Mexico, and lives in fresh water, between midwater and the bottom. Like other silversides, it forms schools and is food for larger fish. It is caught commercially and is not sought by sport anglers using rod and line. The species has a population restricted to a single river basin.
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 smallmouth silverside; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Its population is restricted to a single river basin in Mexico.
identification
Small, elongated, silvery fish, sardine-shaped with a small mouth, as its common name indicates. Atherinopsids have a silver stripe along the side of the body. In the same region, the Mezquital charal looks similar, and the safest sign is the place: this species is endemic to the Lerma River basin.
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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
Endemic to the Lerma River basin, in central Mexico, in fresh water.
Habitat: Fresh water, between midwater and the bottom, in the Lerma River basin.
rules for the smallmouth silverside
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.
Tiny, fragile fish: if it gets hooked, handle it as little as possible, with a wet hand, and return it quickly.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00537, b = 3.09; 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: Chirostoma chapalae (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Chirostoma chapalaeNames by country and language.
