rainbow seaperch
Hypsurus caryi
Rocky-shore surfperch of the Mexican Pacific, which lives at the edges of algae and is caught mainly by shore anglers.
Also called: perca-arco-íris, mojarra arcoiris, rainbow seaperch
- maximum
- 30 cm
- depth
- 1–50 m
who is the rainbow seaperch
Surfperch of the family Embiotocidae, which lives on rocky shores, along the edges of kelp beds. It sometimes appears over sand, but not in the surf zone. It reaches 30 cm and is viviparous: the female carries the young until birth. It lives from 1 to 50 m deep and forms aggregations in autumn. It occurs from Cape Mendocino, in California, to northern Baja California, in Mexico. It is commercially fished and is caught mainly by shore anglers.
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 rainbow seaperch; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Rocky-shore surfperch with a compact body, like the other surfperches of the family, which lives along the edges of algae and rarely over sand. Its common name, rainbow, points to its colors. It is viviparous, like the other surfperches of the group. On the same coast, the striped surfperch (Embiotoca lateralis) has blue stripes and reaches 38 cm, and the kelp perch (Brachyistius frenatus) is much smaller, at 22 cm.
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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
From Cape Mendocino, in California, to northern Baja California; in Latin America, only in Mexico, on rocky shores and along the edges of algae.
Habitat: Rocky shores and kelp edges, from 1 to 50 m deep.
rules for the rainbow seaperch
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 venomous spines and is safe to handle. Be careful with the rocks and the tide, where it lives.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0195, b = 2.97; 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: Hypsurus caryi (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Hypsurus caryiNames by country and language.
