Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii aka dorado catfish, 4"
- Thread starter thebiggerthebetter
- Start date
Dora had been upgraded to 4500 gal but spent there only several months. All this time it often scratched itself badly and was sometimes bitten on the fins until one day it scratched itself over a large area on the back. It was healing ok but the lemon fin barb tankmates figured out that that spot lacked skin and was soft and can be gnawed on. They gnawed a fist size hole in its back / side. In a desperate attempt Dora was quickly transferred to the 25K. It looks like it will make it there against all odds:
Last edited:
From YT:
LFilippone They don’t live well in tanks, if you put them in a in ground pond they will grow 2x faster healthier and larger, since they are not used to seeing predators on the side, they dart away in tanks, in a pond, they will simply dart to the deepest part and sit. Your tanks are some of the healthiest I’ve ever seen, and it is still not doing well, I think this is a fish that just isn’t cut out for captivity
Fish-Story Totally agreeable on all points, thank you, very helpful! Except I'd doubt the predators on the side argument. That's where all predators of water appear usually. I'd think it is mostly that they are spooked by being able to see a change of light, shadows, and movement of something very large (a human figure) behind the transparent wall, so the wall better be opaque, I guess, as in a pond.
LFilippone: I guess I phrased that a little wrong, I think the stress comes from being trapped near a predator from all sides. They are wild fish. If you have ever gone fishing or swimming in a lake, you will notice that the fish will dart away. Even if the tank is 10 ft long, it still isnt enough to give the fish the natural sense of security that they have gotten away from the predator. This is extremely promenent in B. rousseauxii, most likely because the species has one of the longest migrations out of all freshwater fish, travelling 3000 miles as soon as they are born to their home where they mature. This is why they are so fast and flighty when they are small. The natural instinct for them is "the sooner I get there the higher chance I have to live! AAAH predator, run away, keep swimming as fast as you can! Avoid the predators and get to where im going!" This is something that is present in most fish when they are first born, but since the dorado catfish has one of the longest and hardest journeys to complete, they have adapted to run away from anything and everything that can be even remotely dangerous. So what do we fishkeepers do? Heres a tip- Either give them a ton of space or a little when you first get it, I recomend a little space ( mostly because who has a 1000 gallon tank to house just one 3" fish) like 20 gallons, at 5 in move to 40, at 8-10 in move to 75, after that, they calm down enough to move in with tankmates and you can put them in their final home. The reason why I am saying such small space is to prevent them from injuring their nose before it is fully developed, this can cause trouble breathing, lack of apetite, and other side effects as they grow. A young dorado will break its nose, causing concusions and brain damage. This damage will make it so that they are terrified of you and the key is to not have this happen, and allow for them to recognize you as their food source, and not have them die of brain damage. If you keep it in a small tank (people do the same thing with gars) it wont be able to pick up enugh speed to break its nose. If you are not willing to center your whole tank/pond around its needs, it WILL die, so please, if you cant commit to it dont get it. The key is to get them to 1 ft+ withought any brain damage and minimal nose damage, and they will turn out much better as adults. Best bet is water change weekly, feed daily, and dont use any flash photography if you have to take a picture of them, and most importantly, leave them alone, let them grow, and give them plenty of current, this will make them feel like they are migrating, and they will sit in the current for alot of the day. They are an amazing great fish. The hardest part is raising them.
LFilippone They don’t live well in tanks, if you put them in a in ground pond they will grow 2x faster healthier and larger, since they are not used to seeing predators on the side, they dart away in tanks, in a pond, they will simply dart to the deepest part and sit. Your tanks are some of the healthiest I’ve ever seen, and it is still not doing well, I think this is a fish that just isn’t cut out for captivity
Fish-Story Totally agreeable on all points, thank you, very helpful! Except I'd doubt the predators on the side argument. That's where all predators of water appear usually. I'd think it is mostly that they are spooked by being able to see a change of light, shadows, and movement of something very large (a human figure) behind the transparent wall, so the wall better be opaque, I guess, as in a pond.
LFilippone: I guess I phrased that a little wrong, I think the stress comes from being trapped near a predator from all sides. They are wild fish. If you have ever gone fishing or swimming in a lake, you will notice that the fish will dart away. Even if the tank is 10 ft long, it still isnt enough to give the fish the natural sense of security that they have gotten away from the predator. This is extremely promenent in B. rousseauxii, most likely because the species has one of the longest migrations out of all freshwater fish, travelling 3000 miles as soon as they are born to their home where they mature. This is why they are so fast and flighty when they are small. The natural instinct for them is "the sooner I get there the higher chance I have to live! AAAH predator, run away, keep swimming as fast as you can! Avoid the predators and get to where im going!" This is something that is present in most fish when they are first born, but since the dorado catfish has one of the longest and hardest journeys to complete, they have adapted to run away from anything and everything that can be even remotely dangerous. So what do we fishkeepers do? Heres a tip- Either give them a ton of space or a little when you first get it, I recomend a little space ( mostly because who has a 1000 gallon tank to house just one 3" fish) like 20 gallons, at 5 in move to 40, at 8-10 in move to 75, after that, they calm down enough to move in with tankmates and you can put them in their final home. The reason why I am saying such small space is to prevent them from injuring their nose before it is fully developed, this can cause trouble breathing, lack of apetite, and other side effects as they grow. A young dorado will break its nose, causing concusions and brain damage. This damage will make it so that they are terrified of you and the key is to not have this happen, and allow for them to recognize you as their food source, and not have them die of brain damage. If you keep it in a small tank (people do the same thing with gars) it wont be able to pick up enugh speed to break its nose. If you are not willing to center your whole tank/pond around its needs, it WILL die, so please, if you cant commit to it dont get it. The key is to get them to 1 ft+ withought any brain damage and minimal nose damage, and they will turn out much better as adults. Best bet is water change weekly, feed daily, and dont use any flash photography if you have to take a picture of them, and most importantly, leave them alone, let them grow, and give them plenty of current, this will make them feel like they are migrating, and they will sit in the current for alot of the day. They are an amazing great fish. The hardest part is raising them.
