Leporinus reinhardti
The piau-três-pintas is a native characin of the São Francisco River basin — one of Brazil's most important migratory sport fish.
Anglers target it from the banks and by boat throughout the São Francisco drainage, where it makes seasonal upstream runs tied to the rainy season.
It's a legitimate table fish with real sporting value, and its migratory behavior makes it a bellwether species for how well the river's dams and fishways are functioning.
Scientific Name: Leporinus reinhardti
Also known as piau-três-pintas, piau, Megaleporinus reinhardti
- Elongated, torpedo-shaped body typical of the Anostomidae family; silvery to yellowish flanks with distinctive dark spots or markings that give it the common name "três-pintas" (three spots).
- Slightly notched teeth in a 3/3 arrangement — a family trait shared with other leporinus, useful for processing plant material.
- Recorded to around 28.5 cm standard length and up to 450 g; a solid fish by São Francisco standards but not a giant.
- Elongated caudal peduncle with 14 scales around it; distinguishes it from similar piau species sharing the same basin.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to the São Francisco River basin in Brazil, with the type locality at Rio das Velhas near Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais; also recorded from the Itapicuru River basin.
- A freshwater, benthopelagic species — spends time near the bottom in the water column but moves through open water during migrations.
- Uses both the main São Francisco channel and mid-sized tributaries like the Rio Abaeté for reproduction; tributary confluences are critical habitat.
- Found in tropical, warm-water stretches of the basin; dam tailwaters affect its distribution, with populations downstream of Três Marias Dam showing reduced reproductive success in the first 34 km below the structure.
Key Locations
- Rio São Francisco main stem, Minas Gerais — the core of the species' range and the primary fishery for piau-três-pintas.
- Rio das Velhas, near Lagoa Santa, MG — the type locality where the species was first described; historically important stretch of the São Francisco drainage.
- Rio Abaeté confluence with the São Francisco — a documented spawning area where fish successfully reproduce, unlike the cold tailwater immediately below Três Marias Dam.
- Itapicuru River basin — a secondary range outside the São Francisco where the species is also recorded.
Specific Spots
- Tributary mouths and confluences — the junction of the Rio Abaeté with the São Francisco is a documented spawning and staging area; fish concentrate here during the reproductive run.
- Stretches with intact floodplain and smaller free-flowing side channels, where juveniles develop and adults find cover during high water.
- Bottom structure in the main channel — this is a benthopelagic species that hugs the riverbed, so rocky or sandy bottom areas with current breaks hold fish outside of migration periods.
- Areas downstream of dams where tributary inflows restore warmer water and higher dissolved oxygen — fish avoid the cold, low-oxygen tailwater immediately below large dams.
Leporinus reinhardti FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Leporinus reinhardti?
Natural baits dominate: worms, dough baits (massa), and fruit-based baits are traditional and effective, reflecting the species' plant- and invertebrate-heavy diet. Small jigs and soft plastics bounced along the bottom can work, particularly during active feeding periods near tributary confluences and current breaks.
When is the best time to fish for Leporinus reinhardti?
November through February, the rainy season spawning migration; fish are most active and concentrated near tributary confluences during this period. Outside the migration, fish are present year-round in the São Francisco basin but more dispersed and less predictable in their movements.
How do you catch Leporinus reinhardti?
Most anglers fish piau-três-pintas from the bank or by small boat, presenting natural baits on bottom rigs in current. The best fishing coincides with the upstream migration during the rainy season, when fish stage near tributary mouths and confluences along the São Francisco.
What do Leporinus reinhardti eat?
Primarily plant material, fruits, seeds, and aquatic vegetation, consistent with other Anostomidae. On the water, this means surface presentations near fruiting trees overhanging the bank, or bottom-bouncing baits near submerged vegetation, can both produce.
Where do Leporinus reinhardti live?
Native to the São Francisco River basin in Brazil, with the type locality at Rio das Velhas near Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais; also recorded from the Itapicuru River basin. A freshwater, benthopelagic species, spends time near the bottom in the water column but moves through open water during migrations.
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