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fishing forecast

halfline leporinus

Leporinus nigrotaeniatus · Anostomidae · omnivore

Freshwateressential profile

A piau of the Negro River basin and coastal rivers of the Guianas, seldom seen on the fishing line. It has commercial and aquarium use.

Also called: piau-meia-linha, piau, halfline leporinus

Scientific illustration of Halfline leporinus
maximum
40 cm
location

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period

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the species

everything about the halfline leporinus

overview

who is the halfline leporinus

The piau meia-linha belongs to the family Anostomidae and reaches 40 cm. It lives from the bottom to midwater in the Negro River basin, in the Brazilian Amazon, and in coastal rivers of the Guianas, in tropical waters of 23 to 26 °C. Like the other piaus of the genus, it has an elongated body, a small mouth at the tip of the snout and incisor teeth. Pairs breed in places with dense vegetation. It has commercial use and is also sold for aquariums, but it hardly ever turns up on the line of rod anglers.

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 halfline leporinus; in the meantime, see the similar species.

how to recognize it

identification

An elongated, rounded body, typical of piaus, with a small mouth at the tip of the snout and incisor teeth. The scientific name, nigrotaeniatus, refers to a dark stripe on the body. It reaches 40 cm, almost double the Guiana piau (Leporinus desmotes, 22 cm) and the aracu-pinima (Leporinus maculatus, 18 to 20 cm), which also live in the rivers of the Guianas.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Negro River basin, in the Brazilian Amazon, and coastal rivers of the Guianas.

Habitat: Rivers of the Negro River basin and coastal rivers of the Guianas, where pairs spawn in dense vegetation.

native to the basins

Amazon
what the law says

rules for the halfline leporinus

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.

Small-mouthed fish: take the hook out in the water carefully and release it quickly.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01, b = 3.04; 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: Leporinus nigrotaeniatus (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 Leporinus nigrotaeniatusNames 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

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