shark sucker
Remora remora · Echeneidae · omnivore
Fish that attaches to sharks, rays, turtles and even boats by the suction disc on top of its head. It poses no danger, but turns up now and then on the line.
Also called: agarrador, pegador, rémora, rémora tiburonera, shark sucker
- maximum
- 86 cm
- record/max.
- 1.1 kg
- depth
- 0–200 m
the right time
to be on the water
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…
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hour by hour
tap or drag on the chart to read each hour · on a keyboard, arrow keyssee hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
choose the day
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.
the fishing month at a glance
what's the best window for the crew?
Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
trend for the coming weeks
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
everything about the shark sucker
who is the shark sucker
Fish of the family Echeneidae, common in the warm waters of the world. The first dorsal fin has become a suction disc, with which it attaches to other animals. It reaches 86 cm and 1.1 kg, but the common size is around 40 cm. It lives in the sea, from 0 to 200 m, often near reefs. It is frequently found with sharks, but also attaches to large fish, sea turtles and even boats. It feeds on parasitic copepods. It is caught now and then on line and also in commercial nets.
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 shark sucker; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- The younger ones are more active as parasite cleaners.
- It can live free in the water, without attaching to anything, for some time.
identification
Elongated body, dark grey, almost brown, with the first dorsal transformed into a suction disc on top of the head. The soft dorsal and anal fins have only soft rays, no spines. To tell it apart from Echeneis naucrates, look at the body: this species is taller and sturdier, while naucrates is slimmer.
where found
In Latin America it occurs in countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Mexico and Cuba, in open sea and near reefs.
Habitat: Open sea and reefs, from 0 to 200 m, almost always attached to sharks and other large animals.
coast
rules for the shark sucker
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 Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
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 poses no danger to the angler, but if it is attached to a shark or a ray, the care should be for the host, which is the real danger.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00263, b = 3.17; 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: Remora remora (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Remora remoraNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
similar species
where each number comes from
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
sources for this lookup
how accurate the forecast is
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations: