Bico-de-pato
Bico-de-pato are shovelnose catfish of the genus Sorubim — flat-headed, long-whiskered bottom feeders that live throughout Brazil's Amazon basin.
They're significant food fish in Amazonian communities, caught commercially and by subsistence fishers, and occasionally taken by sport anglers targeting catfish in the region's rivers and floodplain lakes.
Scientific Name: Sorubim trigonocephalus
Also known as Sorubim, bico-de-pato, slender shovelnose catfish (S. elongatus), arrowhead shovelnose catfish (S. trigonocephalus)
- Extremely elongated, flattened head with a long, spatula-like snout — the "duck bill" shape that gives the fish its name.
- Distinctive dark-and-light patterning along the sides; long maxillary barbels that can reach the pelvic fins or beyond.
- Eyes positioned laterally, visible from both above and below the head — an adaptation to bottom-oriented life.
- S. elongatus typically reaches around 32 cm and 260 g; S. trigonocephalus is the larger species, with the genus ranging up to about 80 cm.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to Brazil; found throughout the Amazon basin, including both whitewater and blackwater river systems.
- Occupy a wide range of water types: large main-channel rivers, smaller tributary creeks, floodplain lakes, and tidal rivers near the Amazon delta.
- Demersal (bottom-dwelling) and tropical; associated with warm, lowland Amazonian waters.
Key Locations
- Amazon basin broadly — the species is distributed across the main river and its major tributaries throughout the Brazilian Amazon.
- Floodplain lake systems (várzea) of the central and lower Amazon, where habitat diversity supports high catfish abundance.
Specific Spots
- Bottom structure — submerged logs, root tangles, and undercut banks — where the flat head and long barbels help them locate prey in low visibility.
- Floodplain lakes and backwater channels connected to main rivers, especially during high-water periods when fish spread into flooded forest.
- Deeper holes and current seams in larger rivers, where they hold close to the substrate waiting for food to drift past.
Bico-de-pato FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Bico-de-pato?
Cut fish and live small fish fished on the bottom are the traditional and most reliable baits, consistent with how Amazonian catfish are generally targeted. Heavy sinker rigs that keep bait pinned to the substrate are standard; the goal is putting scented bait directly in the fish's path along the riverbed.
How do you catch Bico-de-pato?
Bico-de-pato are taken primarily by subsistence and commercial fishers using bottom rigs with natural bait in the Amazon basin. Sport anglers targeting catfish in Amazonian rivers may encounter them while fishing the substrate near structure or in floodplain lakes.
What do Bico-de-pato eat?
Bottom feeders that take small fish, invertebrates, and organic matter from the riverbed; natural baits such as cut fish or live small fish fished on the bottom are the standard approach.
Where do Bico-de-pato live?
Native to Brazil; found throughout the Amazon basin, including both whitewater and blackwater river systems. Occupy a wide range of water types: large main-channel rivers, smaller tributary creeks, floodplain lakes, and tidal rivers near the Amazon delta.
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