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Species Guide

Prochilodus

Sabalo Prochilodus Spp
  • Spanish Name: Sábalo
  • English Name: Prochilodus
  • Scientific Name: Prochilodus spp.
  • Type of specie: Fish
  • Order: Characiformes
  • Family: Prochilodontidae

Habitat

  • Natural: Large rivers and lakes with turbid waters and moderate currents.
  • Farming: Ponds or reservoirs with basic control of feeding and water quality.

General Description

  • Body shape: Elongated, robust, and laterally compressed body.
  • Distinctive features:

    Silvery body with darker tones on the back and lighter on the belly. Fins are often yellow or orange. The inferior mouth is shaped like a sucker, adapted for scraping algae and organic matter from the bottom.

Size and Weight

  • Average length: Typically between 25 and 40 cm, although some species can reach up to 80 cm in their natural habitat.
  • Average weight: Typically between 500 g and 2 kg; some exceptional specimens can exceed 5 kg, depending on the species.

Life Cycle

Moderate growth; reaches market size in 1 to 2 years depending on the farming system.

Adaptations

Highly tolerant to changes in water quality and food availability, feeding on organic matter and phytoplankton.

Juveniles farming systems

Typically captured from the wild for farming.

Grow-out farming systems

Raised in freshwater ponds or extensive systems in reservoirs and rivers.

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  • Geographical distribution
Native to South America, inhabiting large rivers such as the Amazon, Paraná, Orinoco, and their tributaries.
  • Main producing countries
Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, Venezuela.
  • Commercial value

Important for artisanal fishing and as a staple food in some South American regions.

  • Additional uses

By-products: Used in fish meal or as bait in sport fishing.

  • Common preparation methods
Fried, grilled, baked, or in soups.