Skip to content
fishing forecast

tucan fish

Chalceus erythrurus · Chalceidae · omnivore

Freshwateressential profile

A midwater fish of Amazon rivers, from the Solimões to the Ucayali, in Peru. It has commercial value and is sold for aquariums.

Also called: peixe-tucano, san pedro, sardina, huacamayo challua, tucan fish

Scientific illustration of Tucan fish
maximum
24 cm
record/max.
0.3 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 tucan fish

overview

who is the tucan fish

The toucan fish belongs to the family Chalceidae, like the arari-pirá, and has a body compressed from side to side and large scales. Reaches 24.5 centimeters standard length and up to 310 grams. It occurs in the Amazon basin, from the Amazon and Solimões rivers to the Ucayali River in Peru. It lives in the water column, in warm tropical waters, between 22 and 26 °C. Being pelagic, it stays farther from the bottom. In fishing it has commercial value, and the species is also sold 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 tucan fish; in the meantime, see the similar species.

how to recognize it

identification

A body compressed from side to side, with large scales, like the chalceus. The scientific name, erythrurus, means red tail, and the reddish tail is the mark of the species. It reaches 24.5 centimeters, almost the same size as the arari-pirá, so size does not tell the two apart. The difference is location: the toucan fish lives in the Solimões and the Peruvian Amazon, while the arari-pirá (Chalceus macrolepidotus) occurs in the Negro River, the Orinoco and the Guianas.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

It occurs in Brazil and Peru, in the Amazon basin, from the Amazon River and the Solimões to the Ucayali River.

Habitat: Amazonian rivers, in midwater, in warm waters between 22 and 26 °C.

native to the basins

Amazon
what the law says

rules for the tucan fish

Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).

We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.

piracema closures in the basins where the species lives

Spawning closure (piracema) in Mato Grosso (all basins)

01/10 to 31/01MT

Allowed: All fishing modalities are prohibited in rivers, including catch and release (Law 9.096/2009, art. 19-A). Exceptions: subsistence fishing from shore (3 kg or 1 fish, no transport or sale) and scientific fishing. Law 13.159/2025 now allows licensed sport fishing in UHE/PCH hydropower reservoirs, natural lakes and border rivers, subject to a scientific study and a license from the environmental agency. We have not confirmed whether these licenses are already being issued.

Source: IN Interministerial MAPA/MMA nº 10/2017; Resolução Cepesca-MT nº 1/2026; Lei estadual MT nº 9.096/2009, arts. 19-A and 27 (Leis 12.434/2024 and 13.159/2025)

Closed season in the rivers of Marajó Island (PA)

01/01 to 30/04PA

Allowed: The same recreational-angler exceptions as in Portaria 48/2007 apply (handline or rod, 5 kg + 1 fish), unless a stricter state rule applies.

Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007

Closed season in the Amazon basin in Amapá

15/11 to 15/03AP

Allowed: Recreational anglers with handline or rod, line and hook are outside the Annex II prohibitions, with a bag limit of 5 kg + 1 fish, unless a stricter state rule applies.

Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007

Border rivers MT/RO and MT/PA

05/11 to 28/02MTROPA

Allowed: See the exceptions in Portaria 48/2007 and the state rules for each bank.

Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007

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.

It has no spines or venom. Just remove the hook carefully.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00933, 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%.

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: Chalceus erythrurus (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 Chalceus erythrurusNames 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.
don't confuse

similar species