monkeyface prickleback
Cebidichthys violaceus · Cebidichthyidae · omnivore
Rocky-shore fish of the eastern Pacific, which lives between the tides, under rocks and algae, and breathes air out of the water. It is taken for subsistence and for aquariums, and it is used in sport fishing.
Also called: peixe-cara-de-macaco, abrojo cara de mono, monkeyface prickleback
- maximum
- 76 cm
- depth
- 0–1 m
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 monkeyface prickleback
who is the monkeyface prickleback
Fish of the family Cebidichthyidae, with an elongated body, reaching 76 cm and living up to 18 years. It occurs on the Pacific coast, from southern Oregon, in the United States, to northern Baja California, in Mexico, and is rare south of Point Conception. It lives in the intertidal zone, among rocks and shallow pools, down to 24 m, most commonly from 0 to 1 m. It eats mainly crustaceans and algae and usually hides among rocks and algae. It is taken for subsistence, is used as a sport fish, and is collected for aquariums.
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 monkeyface prickleback.
fun facts
- Breathes air and can stay out of water for 15 to 35 hours, as long as it stays damp.
- One of the parents coils its body around the eggs, laid in rock crevices.
identification
Long, thin body of an elongated fish, with a long dorsal fin running along the back, a common trait of the family. Its common name, monkeyface, comes from the look of its head. The best sign is the place: between the tides, under rocks and algae, in shallow pools on rocky shores, where it can stay out of water, hidden and damp, during low tide.
where found
From southern Oregon, in the United States, to northern Baja California; in Latin America, only in Mexico, on rocky shores and tide pools.
Habitat: Intertidal zone, under rocks and algae, in shallow pools and rocky areas down to 24 m.
rules for the monkeyface prickleback
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 recorded danger to anglers. If it is taken out of the water, keep it damp, since it survives out of water as long as its skin stays wet.
in the kitchen
Taken for subsistence and considered good to eat.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00389, b = 3.12; 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.
- scientific FishBase: Cebidichthys violaceus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Cebidichthys violaceusNames 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: