Skip to content
fishing forecast

itoui

Porotergus gymnotus · Apteronotidae · omnivore

Freshwateressential profile

Itoui, a rare knifefish of fast current in the Guianas and the Amazon basin. It can reach 85 cm, but little is known about its biology.

Also called: itoui, ituí, peixe-faca

Scientific illustration of Itoui
maximum
85 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 itoui

overview

who is the itoui

The itoui belongs to the family Apteronotidae, the knifefishes, and can reach 85 cm. It is rare in catches, and little is known about its biology. Anglers using rods almost never encounter it. It occurs in rivers of the Guianas and in the Amazon basin, in fast-flowing water over sandy bottoms. It has been recorded together with piaus and with the cichlid Crenicichla multispinosa. Scattered catches suggest a solitary habit. 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 itoui; in the meantime, see the similar species.

how to recognize it

identification

A knifefish with a very elongated body, flattened from side to side, with a long anal fin that runs along the belly almost to the tail, and no dorsal fin, like the rest of its family, which produce weak electric discharges. Reaches 85 cm, far more than the macana knifefish (Apteronotus bonapartii), from the same family, which stays at 38 cm. It lives in fast current over sandy bottoms.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Guianas and Amazon basin, with records in Brazil, in fast current over sandy bottoms.

Habitat: Fast current over sandy bottoms, in rivers of the Amazon basin and the Guianas.

native to the basins

Amazon
what the law says

rules for the itoui

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.

A rare fish: if you catch one, carefully remove the hook while it is in the water and release it promptly. 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 = 0.00347, b = 3.06; 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: Porotergus gymnotus (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 Porotergus gymnotusNames 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

similar species