dorado gone insane

rookie221289

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I have a 120 gallon growout in which i am keeping a 6 inch dorado,5.5 inch tatf and 2 chalceus around 8 inches.Within the first week of purchase the dorado has starated chasing them down incessently.How to stop it from bullying ,I have got 2 back up tanks but want to keep the dorado in community as i have other plans for the back tanks.So is buying another one will prevent this behavior.Help otherwise I am about to lose one precious tatf
 

kno4te

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So I'd suggest moving it to another tank solo. It'll probably kill all ur fish asap.

Adding another dorado can always run the risk of getting bullied by the already established salminis. Keeping larger groups together works to keep the aggression down but any other tankmates may get chewed on. I think you run the risk of getting a dorado beat up by adding another.

The other is you'll be needing a larger tank with possib dithers if u want to introduce any potential tankmates.

Maybe some other memebers can chime and help as well. Good luck.
 

krichardson

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Salminus are awesome fish,I had two a few years ago and the dominant fish eventually killed the subordinate one.It then turned it's attention to the other fish in the tank and would chase them around endlessly.I have even caught it snatching food from the mouth of another fish and then procede to chase the fish lol.
I'm not sure if there is anything you can do to curb it's aggressiveness.
 
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KNH

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I agree that this is normal behavior. I've had several and they outgrow just about anything and become very dominate.
 

thebiggerthebetter

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I agree, it's the norm for them. They may be more or less placid but such behavior as you describe wouldn't surprise anyone who knows dorados. IDK a way to stop it other than getting it into a much, much bigger tank or getting a school of dorados. In either case, one would still be taking chances.

I'd separate it into a different tank or behind a divider.
 

thebiggerthebetter

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This week I had to pull out my 12" dorado from 4500 gal after it dug into several tank mates too much - two 18" yellowcheeks, giant siamese carp, bala sharks, cigar chark, etc. Even saw it go after 16" VATF. So it went back into a 240 gal.

Hence I've proven firsthand for myself what Michael Bryce A arapaimag told me long time ago - dorado are the nastiest fish in Michael's ~professional collection, at least in his 52,000 gal tank, and it is also in the top two-three in mine. I am sure when it grows, it will take over spot #1 easy.

*** So to reiterate, an insane dorado is a peaceful dorado. A dorado that goes viciously after most fish, especially middle-swimming, until it strips their fins is a sane dorado.***
 

moe214

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This week I had to pull out my 12" dorado from 4500 gal after it dug into several tank mates too much - two 18" yellowcheeks, giant siamese carp, bala sharks, cigar chark, etc. Even saw it go after 16" VATF. So it went back into a 240 gal.

Hence I've proven firsthand for myself what Michael Bryce A arapaimag told me long time ago - dorado are the nastiest fish in Michael's ~professional collection, at least in his 52,000 gal tank, and it is also in the top two-three in mine. I am sure when it grows, it will take over spot #1 easy.

*** So to reiterate, an insane dorado is a peaceful dorado. A dorado that goes viciously after most fish, especially middle-swimming, until it strips their fins is a sane dorado.***
You'll have to add it to the "aggressive" 4500g eventually lol. What are the other two fish that compete with it for most aggressive? I wonder how it'd do with your artc.
 
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thebiggerthebetter

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You'll have to add it to the "aggressive" 4500g eventually lol. What are the other two fish that compete with it for most aggressive? I wonder how it'd do with your artc.
That's exactly the thought. When it gets up to ~2', I guess, it can be tried in with the street toughs. It's been only 2-3 days in with a pacu in a 240 gal. So far no big damage. A lot of chasing and challenging each other.

Yes, the other two are ARTC and purple labeo aka Labeo congicus.
 
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thebiggerthebetter

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moe214

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That's exactly the thought. When it gets up to ~2', I guess, it can be tried in with the street toughs. It's been only 2-3 days in with a pacu in a 240 gal. So far no big damage. A lot of chasing and challenging each other.

Yes, the other two are ARTC and purple labeo aka Labeo congicus.
Yea would wait for it to get girth the most as those cats mouths are big. And a pacu is a good possible tank mate, tough fish. And I think the dorado may beat on and possibly keep a wyckioides in its place if I must say. Going off of what I know about the two. Dorado are known to bully aimara. Now if you followed my thread on the trachy and kolts on his nodosus, I left clues on an irresponsible buy, it was a wyckii, my curupira has kept that fish in its place, had to beat it up badly to do so. Aimara are usually worse than curupira just as I believe wyckioides to be worse than wyckii. I think an aimara would have a good **** at keeping a wyckioides in its place, so if a dorado can handle an aimara I'm thinking it can also handle a wyckioides. It is the dorados speed that puts it above them imo. I know it's daring but it is a comm I'd try once they're closer in size.
 
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