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Illustration of Hardhead silverside
fishing forecast

hardhead silverside

Atherinomorus stipes · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the hardhead silverside

how to recognize it

Small, elongated fish with a broad head, wider than the body, which draws attention. The body is silvery, with the pale band on the flanks typical of silversides. It forms large schools over soft bottoms and shallow reefs, and is used as bait.

Also called: peixe-rei-de-cabeça-larga, tinícalo, cabezote, hardhead silverside

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Soft bottoms and coral reefs, in shallow waters and close to the coast.

It occurs from southern Florida, the Bahamas and Yucatán to Brazil, with records in Cuba, Venezuela and the Guianas, on soft bottoms and coral reefs.

coast

North Coastcoastal

rules for the hardhead silverside

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.

Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

estimated weight

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how we calculate

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00724, b = 3.22; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

more about the hardhead silverside

Fish of the family Atherinidae, up to 10 cm and common size near 7.5 cm. It occurs on soft bottoms and coral reefs, in shallow and coastal areas. It often forms large schools and feeds on zooplankton. It occurs from southern Florida, the Bahamas and Yucatán to Brazil, with records in Cuba, Venezuela and the Guianas. It has small commercial fishing, and its most common use is as bait.

Family: Atherinidae · forage fish

sources and references (3)

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: Atherinomorus stipes (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 Atherinomorus stipesNames 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.