mottled soapfish
Rypticus bicolor
Soapfish of eastern Pacific rocky reefs, which hides in caves and crevices and hunts small fish at night.
Also called: peixe-sabão-malhado, peixe-sabão, pez jabón, Mottled soapfish
- maximum
- 28 cm
- depth
- 3–68 m
who is the mottled soapfish
The mottled soapfish belongs to the family Grammistidae and reaches 28 cm. It lives on rocky reefs of the eastern Pacific, from Mexico to Peru, including the Galápagos and other islands far from the coast, between 3 and 68 m deep. It usually shelters in caves and crevices, but is also seen in open areas. It stays still, often on its side, in dark crevices, and has a protruding lower jaw. It is taken commercially, and it hunts small fish at night.
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 mottled soapfish.
fun facts
- At night it actively hunts small fish, and by day it stays still and hidden in dark crevices.
identification
Flanks with pale spots from cream to light brown on a dark background, reaching the base of the fins. The spots are poorly defined and often merge. The lower jaw is projecting, with a fleshy bump, and the underside of the jaw has small pores in groups, in larger specimens. The body and head have scales embedded in the skin.
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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
Lives in the eastern Pacific, from Mexico to Peru, including the Galápagos.
Habitat: Rocky reefs, 3 to 68 m, with caves and crevices.
when to fish
best time of day
Nighttime. It stays still and hidden in dark crevices and actively hunts at night, after small fish.
rules for the mottled soapfish
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.
Harmless to anglers. Like other soapfishes, it can release a toxic mucus that harms other fish, so do not keep it in the same bucket or live well as the other catch. If it comes from deeper bottom, it can suffer barotrauma: release it carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01738, b = 3.01; 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: Rypticus bicolor (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Rypticus bicolorNames by country and language.