Skip to content
fishing forecast

sevenbarbed banjo

Aspredinichthys filamentosus · Aspredinidae · omnivore

FreshwaterEstuaryessential profile

Flattened catfish of estuaries and coastal waters, from Venezuela to northern Brazil. The female carries the eggs attached to her belly, and the species has commercial and aquarium use.

Also called: bagre-banjo, riqui-riqui, bagre roncador sietebarbas, sevenbarbed banjo

Scientific illustration of Sevenbarbed banjo
maximum
22 cm
location

Sample location: choose yours to see the forecast for where you fish.

period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

the species

everything about the sevenbarbed banjo

overview

who is the sevenbarbed banjo

The bagre-banjo is of the family Aspredinidae and reaches 22 cm, with a common size of 15 cm. It is a bottom-dwelling species that lives in coastal waters with mud and sand, in estuaries and flooded river areas, from fresh to brackish water. It occurs from Venezuela to northern Brazil. The female carries the eggs attached to the underside of her body, which seems to help oxygenate them in the mud. It has commercial use and is also sold for the aquarium.

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 sevenbarbed banjo.

fun facts

  • It is caught in stake traps set in tidal mud.
how to recognize it

identification

Flattened body, like a banjo, with a broad head and trunk and seven long, threadlike barbels around the mouth, as the Spanish name sietebarbas says. The long barbels and flat shape help identify it among small estuary catfish. The female carries the eggs attached to her belly.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

From Venezuela to northern Brazil, in coastal waters, estuaries and lower reaches of rivers that flow to the sea.

Habitat: Mud and sand bottoms in coastal waters, estuaries and flooded river areas.

native to the basins

AmazonWestern Northeast Atlantic

coast

North Coastcoastal
what the law says

rules for the sevenbarbed banjo

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.

piracema closures in the basins where the species lives

Spawning closure (piracema) in Mato Grosso (all basins)

01/10 to 31/01MT

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.

Source: IN Interministerial MAPA/MMA nº 10/2017; Resolução Cepesca-MT nº 1/2026; Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009, arts. 19-A and 27 (Leis 12.434/2024 and 13.159/2025)

Closed season in the Maranhão basins

01/12 to 30/03MA

Allowed: Recreational fishing from a boat or from shore with handline or rod, up to 5 kg or 1 fish. Transport only within the municipality. Competitions prohibited.

Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 85/2003

Closed season in the rivers of Marajó Island (PA)

01/01 to 30/04PA

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

Closed season in the Amazon basin in Amapá

15/11 to 15/03AP

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

Border rivers MT/RO and MT/PA

05/11 to 28/02MTROPA

Allowed: See the exceptions in Portaria 48/2007 and the state rules for each bank.

Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007

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.

Small bottom-dwelling fish: take the hook out carefully and release it. It poses no danger to anglers.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00115, b = 3.08; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

estimated weight

—

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Aspredinichthys filamentosus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Aspredinichthys filamentosusNames by country and language.
  3. 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.