🍽️🐟 Do people in South America eat plecos?

Yes. In parts of the Amazon and Orinoco, plecos (family Loricariidae) are traditional food fish—handled and served much like other catfish.

---

🗺️ Local Names

• 🇧🇷 Brazil: bodó, cascudo (also acari)
• 🇵🇪🇪🇨 Peru & Ecuador: carachama
• 🇨🇴 Colombia: cucha, corroncho

🧬 Common genera: Pterygoplichthys, Hypostomus, Pseudorinelepis, and other armored catfish.

---

👨‍🍳 How They’re Prepared

• 🔥 Grilled/Roasted whole: Armor chars; meat is flaked out from between plates.
• 🍲 Soups & stews: Whole fish simmered with aromatics; often served with yuca (cassava) or plantain.
• 🌿 Leaf-wrapped (maito style): Seasoned, wrapped in large leaves, then grilled/steamed.
• ✂️ Strip/fillet cuts: Armor split with heavy shears; side/tail meat removed for frying or stewing.

---

🐟 Taste & Texture

• 🥩 Lean, mild, fairly firm
• 🦴 Low yield vs. scaleless catfish due to heavy armor & bones

---

🧰 Handling & Prep Tips

• 🧤 Gloves/towel: Watch sharp dorsal & pectoral spines
• 🚿 Rinse well; eviscerate promptly if cooking whole
• 🔪 Score/split armor before or after grilling to access flesh

---

🌱 Culture, Ecology & Ethics

• 🛶 Traditional river food for many riverside/indigenous communities
• 🌊 Invasive-use cases: In some places, people eat suckermouth catfish to help control populations
• 🧭 Sustainability varies: Species and regional rules differ—follow local guidance

---

🏠 Hobbyist Notes

• 🚫 Do NOT eat aquarium plecos (possible meds/copper residues; not food-raised)
• 📜 Know the law: Check local capture/consumption regulations and health advisories

---

📋 Quick Reference (at a glance)

• 🧾 Names: bodó/cascudo (BR), carachama (PE/EC), cucha/corroncho (CO)
• 🍳 Cook: grill whole • stew • leaf-wrap • strip-cut
• ⚠️ Handle: spines ➜ gloves/towel • wet, clean prep
• ✅ Good practice: respect local rules • avoid pet fish for food