Serrasalmus maculatus
The spotted pirambeba of the Paraná, the Pantanal and the Amazon. It steals bait, cuts line and travels in small groups near vegetation.
Also called: piranha-amarela, pirambeba, piranha-pintada, catirina, piranha
A medium-sized piranha that lives in groups of up to about 20 fish, each with a home range in a stretch of lagoon or stream. It is active mainly by day, and the largest hunt until early evening, near the bottom and vegetation. Larvae and juveniles hide among water hyacinth roots, which help spread the species during floods. Even very young juveniles nip at other fish's fins. It is native to the upper Paraná, the Paraguay and the Amazon. For anglers, it is the bait thief of anyone fishing the bottom for other species.
Tall, disc-shaped body, silvery to yellowish, with small dark spots on the flank. Sharp triangular teeth. Serrasalmus marginatus has a black tail edge and a strongly concave head profile; in the yellow piranha the head is straighter. The red piranha has a red belly and a blunt snout.
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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.
Paraná, Paraguay (Pantanal) and Amazon basins, with a record from the Uruguay River; in the Tocantins it is regulated under the name piranha-pintada.
Habitat: Oxbow lagoons, bays, eddies and banks with water hyacinth and vegetation.
native to the basins
states
São Paulo, Paraná, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Pará, Amazonas, Rio Grande do Sul
Most active in the warm months, September to April.
Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Active by day; the largest hunt until early evening.
A cold front leaves the group inactive.
Little effect.
Little effect.
Little effect.
Low water concentrates the groups.
Not very sensitive.
Little effect.
Shallow to mid-water, 0.5 to 3 m.
natural baits
accessories
Long-shank hook and leader: the teeth cut nylon in an instant.
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 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026).
In Tocantins the painted piranha (Serrasalmus maculatus) may only be kept at 15 cm or longer. In TO recreational anglers may not transport fish until Feb 28, 2029, except one native fish; they may eat up to 3 kg on site (Portaria Naturatins 44/2026).
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 47/2026, Annex I, as amended by Portaria nº 105/2026
Allowed: Recreational fishing only for non-native species and hybrids (peacock bass, tilapia, black bass, carp, croaker, etc.; piauçu remains prohibited), with handline, simple pole, or rod with spinning or baitcasting reel, up to 10 kg + 1 fish. In rivers, from shore only; in reservoirs, from a boat or from shore. Prohibited: floodplain lakes, aquatic-animal bait, within 1,500 m of dams and waterfalls, and within 500 m of confluences. Tournaments only in reservoirs and only with non-native species.
Source: IN IBAMA nº 25/2009
Allowed: Only exotic or hybrid species, 3 kg + 1 fish per day, with handline, rod, simple pole, or spinning or baitcasting reel. Nets prohibited. Keep the minimum distances from dams and reservoirs.
Source: Portarias IEF nº 154/2011 (São Francisco), 155/2011 (East) and 156/2011 (Grande/Paranaíba)
Allowed: Sport and guided fishing only in reservoirs, catch and release with barbless hooks (no keeping, transporting or eating). Subsistence: up to 5 kg per day, for household consumption only.
Allowed: Subsistence fishing by riverside residents and authorized scientific fishing. Decree 15.166/2019 (art. 11, §5) allows catch and release only in February and only in the channels of the Paraguay and Paraná rivers. For the rest of the period, not even catch and release is allowed. Check the Imasul portaria for each season.
Source: Decreto estadual MS nº 15.166/2019, art. 11; IN IBAMA nº 201/2008
Allowed: All fishing modalities are prohibited in rivers, including catch and release (Law 9.096/2009, art. 19-A). Exceptions: subsistence fishing from shore (3 kg or 1 fish, no transport or sale) and scientific fishing. Law 13.159/2025 now allows licensed sport fishing in UHE/PCH hydropower reservoirs, natural lakes and border rivers, subject to a scientific study and a license from the environmental agency. We have not confirmed whether these licenses are already being issued.
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with handline, rod, or spinning or baitcasting reel. Fish may only be eaten on site, not transported. Competitions prohibited. Subsistence: 3 kg + 1 fish. State rules (GO and TO) may be stricter.
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with on-site consumption. Subsistence: 5 kg + 1 fish. State rules may be stricter.
Allowed: In 2025/26: catch and release with barbless hooks and recreational fishing card; subsistence fishing on foot or from a rowboat, with simple pole or handline.
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 244/2025 (2025/26 season); INIs MPA/MMA nº 12 and 13/2011
Allowed: Recreational fishing from shore, or from a boat without motor. Only handline or rod, line and hook, one gear per angler, up to 5 kg. Prohibited in floodplain lakes, within 1,500 m of dams, within 500 m of confluences, and in stretches listed in the rule (e.g., Turvo River).
Source: IN IBAMA nº 193/2008
Allowed: The same recreational-angler exceptions as in Portaria 48/2007 apply (handline or rod, 5 kg + 1 fish), unless a stricter state rule applies.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Allowed: Recreational anglers with handline or rod, line and hook are outside the Annex II prohibitions, with a bag limit of 5 kg + 1 fish, unless a stricter state rule applies.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Allowed: Subsistence fishing only.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Allowed: See the exceptions in Portaria 48/2007 and the state rules for each bank.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Long-nose pliers, and keep your hand away from the mouth. Release quickly.
Piranha broth and fried piranha, scored to cut the bones.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01585, b = 3.17; FishBase). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
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