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fishing forecast

matrinchã-do-equador

Brycon alburnus · Bryconidae · omnivore

FreshwaterIUCN global: NT · near threatenedessential profile

Matrinchã from the trans-Andean basins of Ecuador, up to 32.6 cm. It has commercial fishing and is nearly threatened, so it is best to release what you catch.

Also called: matrinchã-do-equador, matrinchã, dama montanea, sábalo

Scientific illustration of Matrinchã-do-Equador
maximum
33 cm
location

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period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

the species

everything about the matrinchã-do-equador

overview

who is the matrinchã-do-equador

The Ecuadorian matrinchã is a freshwater bryconid, reaching 32.6 cm standard length. It lives in the trans-Andean basins of Ecuador and spawns in schools among the plants during the rainy season. Like matrinchãs in general, it eats fruit and insects. It has commercial fishing and is considered nearly threatened, so releasing what is caught is best for the species. Dama montanea and sábalo are local names in Ecuador.

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-do-equador; in the meantime, see the similar species.

how to recognize it

identification

Fusiform characin reaching 32.6 cm standard length, medium-sized, similar to the other matrinchãs. It can be confused with the Andean matrinchã, which also occurs in Ecuador. The maximum size of 32.6 cm is larger than that of the Andean, at 27.3 cm, which helps tell them apart.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

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

Habitat: Freshwater rivers of the trans-Andean basins, where schools gather among the plants in the rainy season.

what the law says

rules for the matrinchã-do-equador

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

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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: Brycon alburnus (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 alburnusNames by country and language.
don't confuse

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