Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii aka dorado catfish, 4"

thebiggerthebetter

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Hi Viktor

thank you for your reply. It is very informative. You are more then welcome to post my questions. I guess the other questions I have (and you can share) how should these present as juveniles? The few I have seen have been metallic at only a couple inches. The ones that I am offered now are really just a dark grey with no metallic or metallic sheen to them at 4 inches. I am passing on them since I fear they are the wrong fish. That being said the supplier is insisting they will change over in another inch or so
 

thebiggerthebetter

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Hey again, got your PM and email. Yea, there appear to be at least two differently-looking babies offered for sale, one is silver metallic, the other is grey of various shade. The one in your video is probably the darkest I've ever seen and is probably of the second kind.

But the key is that I, and probably we as a community, do not know what they will turn out like as adults! That's the problem. We don't know how either will turn out as an adult, although, by default, we appear to assume that the metallic babies will remain metallic as they grow... yet, at this point for me it remains an assumption and I'd like to see a few keepers confirm that with baby-to-adult visuals.

BTW, post #8, Jibran talks about Enrico's dorados, says his were 3' and 4'2": https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/rare-dorado-catfish.659335/

Also, in this thread are pics from Superlaz and his dourada that he grew to 16".

post #16 by Herman shows a grey one: https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/same-fish.681720/page-2#post-7676101

Post #9 by Herman shows he knows more than me, that's why it always pays to ask the community at large: https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/same-fish.681720/

Post #8 by Lightsout shows a grey one too: https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/same-fish.681720/

My posts #13 and #17 show that only a year ago I learned from Herman of the two different-looking dourada babies: https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/same-fish.681720/page-2

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...ver-juruense-piraiba-tiger-shovelnose.669320/ OP shows the alleged "Nanay river dorado catfish" (or what I believe others market as "White dorado catfish") that may be white-metallic. So this may be a third kind that looks different when a baby at least.

HTH.

Viktor
 

thebiggerthebetter

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My dorado or dourada catfish misery drags on. The other one of snookn21's (sold as white dorado catfish) died a month ago or so. All the same story and symptoms - gradual onset of heavy breathing, discombobulated swimming, and death. All over a week or two.

So I am down to the sole survivor from Mark Chen of Discus Origins. This one is at around 6"-7" and has been doing well so far. But so did all others that suddenly and unexpectedly perished.

dora.JPG dora 1.JPG
 
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thebiggerthebetter

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Yearly update on the sole survivor. It's been doing well in a 240 gal with 4-line pims, synos, and other odd tankmates that come and go. Ever since we got a bunch of cyprinids to grow out in this tank, some of them have been nipping its long tail and reduced it a lot but it is still tolerable. The main offender Incisiolabeo behri has been rehomed to the jerk tank, and the dourada's tail has been growing back, so that was a good move. Feeds well as before on both pellets and cut fish.

Since last May, a year ago, when it was 6"-7", it has put on perhaps only 3"-4" currently attaining roughly 10".

 
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thebiggerthebetter

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The dourada has grown a bit more, currently around 14" total length give or take and as a consequence, the purple labeo started paying it its deadly attention. Hence, the labeo had to be taken out of the tank and the dorado almost immediately started to feed much better and heal all the scuff marks.

 

thebiggerthebetter

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Our only dourada is roughly 1.5' now. It's finicky and nervous doesn't feed as well as before but still feeds.

17:30-18:30 minutes:

 
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