zucchini catfish
Isorineloricaria spinosissima · Loricariidae · omnivore
One of the largest armored catfish, reaching 56.5 cm and endemic to Ecuador. Used in commercial fishing and the aquarium trade.
Also called: cascudo-abobrinha, raspabalsa, espina, zucchini catfish
- maximum
- 56 cm
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
slide your finger or mouse over the chart to see each hoursee 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 zucchini catfish
who is the zucchini catfish
The cascudo abobrinha is a freshwater armored catfish of the family Loricariidae, reaching 56.5 cm. It is one of the largest of the family. It is endemic to Ecuador, where it lives on the bottom of tropical-water rivers, at 24 to 30 °C. Its body is covered with bony plates, which protect it. It has commercial fishing and is used in the aquarium trade. For rod-and-reel anglers it is not a featured species, but its size draws attention.
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 zucchini catfish.
identification
Armored catfish with a flattened body and bony plates along the sides, like other loricariids, and a broad, flattened head. It is one of the largest in the family, reaching 56.5 cm, and that size is what stands out most in the field. It occurs only in Ecuador, where it is endemic.
where found
Endemic to Ecuador, in tropical freshwater rivers.
Habitat: Bottom of tropical-water rivers in Ecuador.
rules for the zucchini catfish
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.
No known danger to anglers. The spines and plates can cut, so hold it with a cloth.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01549, b = 2.96; 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: Isorineloricaria spinosissima (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Isorineloricaria spinosissimaNames by country and language.
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: