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fishing forecast

pike characin (cachorinho)

Acestrorhynchus microlepis · Acestrorhynchidae · predator

Freshwateressential profile

Predator of clear and blackwater in the Amazon and the Guianas, which eats almost only fish. It turns up on the line now and then and needs careful handling.

Also called: cachorinho, cachorro, pez zorro, pike characin

Scientific illustration of Pike characin (cachorinho)
maximum
37 cm
record/max.
0.2 kg
location

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period

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the species

everything about the pike characin (cachorinho)

overview

who is the pike characin (cachorinho)

The cachorinho is of the family Acestrorhynchidae and reaches 37 cm, weighing up to 230 g. It is common in streams and rivers of blackwater and clearwater, and in lagoons and other side habitats of whitewater rivers. It prefers weak current and a sand or mud bottom. It is a formidable predator, like others of its genus, and only in the dry season does it add insects to its diet. It is caught for commercial sale and also 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 pike characin (cachorinho); in the meantime, see the similar species.

how to recognize it

identification

Elongated body, with a long snout and a small eye relative to the head. A tiny dark spot sits just behind the gill cover, and the lateral line has many scales. To tell it apart from the peixe-cachorro (Acestrorhynchus lacustris), which has a round black spot behind the head, location helps: the cachorinho is from the waters of the Amazon and the Guianas, and the peixe-cachorro from the Paraná and São Francisco basins.

distribution

where found

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Amazon and Orinoco basins and rivers of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, also occurring in Peru and Venezuela.

Habitat: Streams and rivers of blackwater and clearwater, lagoons and side habitats of whitewater rivers, with weak current and a sand or mud bottom.

native to the basins

Amazon
what the law says

rules for the pike characin (cachorinho)

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 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.

Predator with sharp teeth: use pliers to remove the hook and hold it firmly before releasing it.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00794, b = 3.02; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). 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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Acestrorhynchus microlepis (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 Acestrorhynchus microlepisNames 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.
don't confuse

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