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fishing forecast

cascudo-listrado

Peckoltia vittata · Loricariidae · omnivore

Freshwateressential profile

Small armored catfish, up to 15 cm, from fast-current stretches of Amazon rivers, which feeds on algae at night. It has commercial and aquarium use.

Also called: cascudo-listrado, peckoltia

Scientific illustration of Cascudo-listrado
maximum
15 cm
record/max.
0.0 kg
location

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period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

the species

everything about the cascudo-listrado

overview

who is the cascudo-listrado

The cascudo-listrado belongs to the family Loricariidae, the armored catfish: small, elongated and covered in bony plates. It reaches 15 cm. It lives in fast-current stretches, over stones, in tropical waters of 23 to 26 degrees. In the Brazilian Amazon it occurs in the Tapajós, Madeira, Xingu, Trombetas, Uatumã, Capim and Maranhão rivers, and reaches Venezuela (Ventuari River) and Colombia (upper Guaviare). It is nocturnal and feeds on algae. It has commercial and aquarium use.

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 cascudo-listrado; in the meantime, see the similar species.

fun facts

  • In Venezuela, specimens were collected over stones, in fast-current stretches.
how to recognize it

identification

Small, elongated armored catfish with a dark wedge on the snout and a dark bar running from the front of the head to just behind it. In juveniles, the snout may have a dark E. It is told apart from the cascudo-do-Xingu (Ancistomus feldbergae), which lives in the same river, by its dark-marked head, since the other has an orange band on the fins and brown spots over the body.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Occurs in the Brazilian Amazon, in the Tapajós, Madeira, Xingu, Trombetas, Uatumã and Capim rivers, and the Maranhão River in Tocantins, as well as Venezuela and Colombia.

Habitat: Fast-current stretches of rivers, over stones, in tropical waters.

native to the basins

AmazonTocantins-Araguaia
calendar and clock

when to fish

best time of day

0h6h12h18h sunrise ~6amsunset ~6pm

Nighttime. It is a nocturnal species, most active at night.

what the law says

rules for the cascudo-listrado

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

Closed season in Goiás (state rule)

01/11 to 28/02GO

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.

Source: IN Semad-GO nº 17/2026, arts. 8º to 11

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)

Spawning closure (piracema) in the Araguaia River basin

01/11 to 28/02GOTOPAMT

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.

Source: IN Interministerial MPA/MMA nº 12/2011

Spawning closure (piracema) in the Tocantins and Gurupi river basins

01/11 to 28/02TOPAMAGO

Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with on-site consumption. Subsistence: 5 kg + 1 fish. State rules may be stricter.

Source: IN Interministerial MPA/MMA nº 13/2011

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.

Not dangerous. It has spines on the fins, so hold it by the body with care.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01778, b = 2.96; 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: Peckoltia vittata (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 Peckoltia vittataNames 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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