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fishing forecast

peixe-anual-monstruoso

Titanolebias monstrosus · Rivulidae · omnivore

FreshwaterIUCN global: VU · vulnerableessential profile

Freshwater annual killifish from the Paraguay River basin, in Argentina and Paraguay, reaching 15 cm. It is vulnerable and used in the aquarium trade.

Also called: peixe-anual-monstruoso, peixe-anual

Scientific illustration of Peixe-anual-monstruoso
maximum
15 cm
location

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period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

the species

everything about the peixe-anual-monstruoso

overview

who is the peixe-anual-monstruoso

The monstrous annual killifish is a freshwater fish of the family Rivulidae, reaching 15 cm. It occurs in the Paraguay River basin, in Argentina and Paraguay, in tropical water at 25 to 30 °C. It lives in the midwater and spawns on the bottom, and the eggs take three months to hatch. It is hard to keep in captivity, but it has commercial use in the aquarium and in fishing. Because it is vulnerable, its capture should be avoided and the fish released.

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 peixe-anual-monstruoso; in the meantime, see the similar species.

fun facts

  • It is hard to keep in an aquarium, even with the trade in ornamental fish.
how to recognize it

identification

Small, elongated fish of the family Rivulidae, reaching 15 cm. It can be confused with the elongated annual killifish (Titanolebias elongatus), which also lives in Argentina and reaches 22 cm. Like other annual killifish, it has a small, elongated body. The best clue is the range, in the Paraguay River basin, while the other lives in the Paraná–La Plata basin. This is the smaller of the two, and it also occurs in Paraguay.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Paraguay River basin, in Argentina and Paraguay, in tropical freshwater.

Habitat: Midwater in tropical-water rivers of the Paraguay River basin. Spawns on the bottom.

what the law says

rules for the peixe-anual-monstruoso

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.

No known danger to anglers. Because it is vulnerable, release it with wet hands and without keeping it out of the water for long.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00603, b = 3.14; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). 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: Titanolebias monstrosus (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 Titanolebias monstrosusNames by country and language.
don't confuse

similar species