Salminus Franciscanus (Golden Dorado)

kendragon

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Mar 23, 2009
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Amazing man.
Gorgeous fish
Thanks guys.

It's discussion time. Now that I've raised them for several months it's been great to feel and understand this fish's characteristics.

Quoted from TFH:
As dorado grow, and grow, and grow some more, they are less likely to accept small food items, for the energy expended in consuming them outweighs the energy gained from them. For this reason very large dorado, say over 18 inches in length, should have been trained to feed on a pelleted or nugget-type feed many months prior. This way, hopefully they will still find such foods interesting when they grow far too large for many other prepared foods down the road.


I totally agree with the above and so I strictly feed them pellets. I've seen a few large dorado and trevally develop signs of Thiamine deficiency and waste away. So for me I find it important to get juveniles on pellets as soon as possible. The best time is when you first get them into your tank. The shock of the transfer will some what mask the shock of a diet change.

Quoted from TFH:
By far, the single cause of obesity is too much food. I have seen many dorado that quite simply resemble footballs with fins rather than the sleek, rugged, toothy tetras that they essentially are. Instead of the fast-moving blitzkrieg-type super predators, they become more like swimming sea turtles. Dorado in this condition are not going to live long lives.


So is it wrong to build them up for adulthood? It's just "baby fat" right?
Dorados are messy eaters and takes some time for them take down enough pellets to be satisfied. Perhaps this is the reason for past threads that say dorados are aggressive in community tanks. I can see anger in them when they're hungry.

Quoted from TFH:
Regarding filtration, dorado are less finicky about actual water quality as compared with some other members of their family.


So true. My trevallies would require water changes several times a week but dorados can go with once a week. Their attitude at the end of the week is like the day after water change. Don't get me wrong, a good strong stable filter is always a must.

Excuse my "finned footballs" as I am trying to learn more about raising them. I will continue to share my findings.
Feel free to comment on this open forum.
 
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moe214

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Well regarding the hunger causing anger. I don't think that is quite the case lol. There is predatory aggression though, but I don't think you're seeing that cause someone would've been missing a chunk or worse. I'd agree they're hardy. Nice write up
 

kendragon

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Well regarding the hunger causing anger. I don't think that is quite the case lol. There is predatory aggression though, but I don't think you're seeing that cause someone would've been missing a chunk or worse. I'd agree they're hardy. Nice write up
Perhaps they show less aggression to their own kind. One did knock a scale off another and ate it. So mean.
 
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