Skip to content
fishing forecast

matrinchã-andina

Brycon atrocaudatus · Bryconidae · omnivore

Freshwateressential profile

Matrinchã from the trans-Andean basins of Ecuador and Peru, up to 27.3 cm. It has commercial fishing and, like other matrinchãs, can be caught on the line.

Also called: matrinchã-andina, matrinchã, cascafe, sábalo

Scientific illustration of Matrinchã-andina
maximum
27 cm
record/max.
1.0 kg
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 matrinchã-andina

overview

who is the matrinchã-andina

The Andean matrinchã is a freshwater bryconid, reaching 27.3 cm standard length and 1 kg. It lives in the trans-Andean basins of Ecuador and Peru, between the bottom and the midwater. Like matrinchãs in general, it eats fruit and insects. It has commercial fishing and poses no danger to anglers. Cascafe, in Peru, and sábalo, in Ecuador, are local names for the species.

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 matrinchã-andina; in the meantime, see the similar species.

fun facts

  • There are records of specimens up to 40 cm total length.
how to recognize it

identification

Fusiform characin of medium size, typical of matrinchãs. It can be confused with the Ecuadorian matrinchã, which occurs only in Ecuador, so location helps: this species also occurs in Peru. In standard length, the Andean matrinchã reaches 27.3 cm, less than the other, at 32.6 cm.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Trans-Andean basins of Ecuador and Peru. Does not occur in Brazil.

Habitat: Freshwater rivers of the trans-Andean basins, midwater and bottom.

what the law says

rules for the matrinchã-andina

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.

Robust river fish: hold it with both hands, remove the hook and release it right away, supporting the body.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01413, b = 3.05; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). 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: Brycon atrocaudatus (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 Brycon atrocaudatusNames by country and language.
don't confuse

similar species