inanga
Galaxias maculatus · Galaxiidae · forage fish
A small fish of rivers, lakes and estuaries in Chile and Argentina, which runs down from the rivers on the autumn high tide to spawn. It is used as bait and is caught for sport.
Also called: galáxia-manchada, puye, inanga
- maximum
- 19 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 inanga
who is the inanga
The spotted galaxias is a fish of the family Galaxiidae, a group of small freshwater and estuarine fish. It reaches 19 cm and lives in rivers, lakes and brackish waters, preferring still or slow-flowing water. It occurs in Chile, from the Valparaíso valley to the far south, and in Argentina, in isolated Patagonian lakes, as well as the Falkland Islands. It feeds on insects and crustaceans. It goes down to estuaries to spawn in the vegetation flooded by high tide. It is used as bait and is also caught for sport.
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 inanga.
fun facts
- The young spend 5 to 6 months at sea before returning to the rivers in spring.
identification
A small, elongated fish of freshwater and brackish waters. The scientific name, maculatus, means spotted, and recalls its patterned body. Adults live in rivers and lakes near the sea and go down to estuaries during the spawning season, in autumn. Its life tied to rivers and tides is the main trait for recognizing it among other small fish of the southern continent.
where found
In Latin America it occurs in Chile, from the Valparaíso valley to southern Tierra del Fuego, and in Argentina, in isolated Patagonian lakes, as well as the Falkland Islands.
Habitat: Rivers, lakes and estuaries, in still or slow-moving water near the sea.
rules for the inanga
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.
It poses no danger to people. Handle it with wet hands and return it to the water quickly.
in the kitchen
It is used fresh and eaten fried.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00501, b = 3.16; 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.
- scientific FishBase: Galaxias maculatus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Galaxias maculatusNames 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: