Info on Dorados and ATFs please

[redtailfool]

How are their temperament? can they be kept with other monsters too?
Ive seen some photos but i want your input.

[The TRUST]

ATFs should be ok. Dorados are 50/50 IMO. It depends on each individual fish. I have had and seen dorados that mix in well with other fish and I have also had dorados eate the eyes of other fish and totally beat the living life out of them. Wes calls them piranha killers. BUT I do know that almost everyone that has tried mixing Dorados and ATFs have failed. For some reason I guess Dorados don't like ATFs and they always kill them.

[piranha45]

How do their growth rates compare? how big do dorado get? would brycons prolly be an acceptable substitute for dorado?

I imagine you would need an absolutely enormous tank/pond to keep such setups...

[The TRUST]

Dorado grow pretty fast I dunno about ATfs though Brycon are a good Dorado substite, they are a little less aggressive

[piranha45]

ATFs from what I here grow pretty damn slow, considering their max sizes. A 3"er hitting 10" after a year seems to be about average starting growth, but of course growth continues to slow as the fish gets older. I reckon that a major factor behind this problem though is that most people just dont give ATFs the tankspace they need...

[redtailfool]

Thanks Jed. Been checkin out ATFs lately. A monster sized one would be a good addition to my collection.

[neoprodigy]

ATFs should be ok. Dorados are 50/50 IMO. It depends on each individual fish. I have had and seen dorados that mix in well with other fish and I have also had dorados eate the eyes of other fish and totally beat the living life out of them. Wes calls them piranha killers. BUT I do know that almost everyone that has tried mixing Dorados and ATFs have failed. For some reason I guess Dorados don't like ATFs and they always kill them.


i got a batch of dozen dorados last year... they are shibby mean! they eat each other's eye balls... i didnt keep them too long... they are too aggressive toward each other... so i sold out the what i got left and keep one....

here is Josh and George Fear holding a dorado...

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=2/3DORADO.JPG

[piranha45]

does george fear post on fish forums?

[The TRUST]

sometimes.

[neoprodigy]

does george fear post on fish forums?
he will come around soon! :)

[piranha45]

what are this guy's qualifications? been an avid fishkeeper for 30 yrs or something? i never heard of him till now..

[neoprodigy]

what are this guy's qualifications? been an avid fishkeeper for 30 yrs or something? i never heard of him till now..
George Fear? he is the owner of Shark Aquarium in NJ. he goes to South America once a year to fish...

[redtailfool]

G's LFS is one of the bigger ones here in NJ and is certainly packed with nice fish!!
I go there all the time... If you are a piranha nut you will absolutely want to stay there for half a day as he has half an aisle devoted to ps as well as several show tanks. . .

[BigMOCats]

George Fear? he is the owner of Shark Aquarium in NJ. he goes to South America once a year to fish...


Usually more than once a year and not just "fish" but also collect and you can bring back what you catch. He leads expoditions through Margarita Tours. If you've ever had a" taste" for huge rhoms, go on one! :D

Oh, and by the way, I've never been able to keep anything with my dorado since he got to the 6" or so mark. He's now 10" and has his own 150g.

Scott

[Caveman]

I had my ATF mixed with some angel fish when I first got him and he did not even bother them. They were mixed together for about 2 months ATF was about 5-6" and Altum Angels were 4". I am sure if the ATF was bigger, say 10"+ he would have made a snack of the Angels.

[Caveman]

George Fear is a welcome addition to any hardcore MONSTERFISHKEEPING community.

[killerfish]

wow way old thread has some nice info