"The" Dorado thread....
- Thread starter DB junkie
- Start date
They were about three inches when I got them and within a week there was almost constant squabbling.Then after a point,I noticed one was getting bigger and becoming the agressor and after the smaller one was seen with a nice patch of scales missing I knew he had to go.I dont notice any chases during feedings just dashes after the food.DB junkie;3406172; said:
reverse;3406196; said:
Triggeraa? I know he has a friggin MONSTER.
WHO had the trio? Was that him? If so did he go from 3 to 1? And if he did do you know why?
Spill the beans!!! I know you got em.
Just found it, bad waterchange?!
That trio is a legend! That short vid on youtube of them was the dealbreaker. I couldn't resist. Just saw updated pics at 21-22 inches and I still have goosebumps as I type this. That fish is bad.....
Armatus are great, but these things definetly have a spot at my house.... The looks are great but the through the roof activity level is what throws them over into the MUST have category.
dorados can be housed with other fish.
it just depends on what fish.
just like any community tank out there.
it just depends on what fish.
just like any community tank out there.
Do my best to summarize my observations. Please note the short time periods, singular nature of the experience, and lack of controlled variables.
Got my first 2 dorados approx. 9 months ago. If I remember correctly they were about 4 inches in length. I had the pair for a short time together with a ATF and payara cohab in a large tank but the dorados over activity disturbed the peace and would from time to time head butt the ATFs.
And so the dorado pair were moved to a small 25gallon by themselves. One was constantly vigorously chasing the other, sometimes non-aggressively, other times it would shear skin off the other (which healed very quickly). 2 months later, one died.
The one was transfered into a larger tank. Had five 8-9inch odoes, the incumbant fish in this 2x3x4 tank. Dorado didn't mess with the odoes. By then the Dorado was prob. about 5.5 inches. I added 2, 4 inchers and although there was some squabbling on the first day, the fish "shoaled" thereafter no aggressive fighting, but the alph took turns chasing the new comers. The next day I added 1 more 4inch dorado which assimulated fine. The 3 new fish followed the larger around the tank. It was at this point, pack hunting techniques could be observed, similar to dolphins.
By the time all 4 fish were roughly 5-6 inches, I added 2 more in the same tank, one 3inches, one 4inches. The 3 inch fish dissapeared with out a trace. The 4 inch joined the others constantly swiming around the tank following one another. No disturbances to the Odoes.
All fish mentioned above; 5 odoes still 8-9inches and 5 4-6inch dorados were then moved to another tank. This is the tank they have resided in for the past approx 4months; the time period for below info.
At day 1, this 8x2x3 tank housed one 13+inch VATF, a 1ft silver arrowana, six-seven 5-6inch african ciclids + several various sized tilapia. The dorado group kept to own group swiming left to right in a tight pack. One had it's tail removed by the ATF. (but i think this was a fluke). I added three more 5 inch dorados for grand total of 8. No disturbances to tankmates. Harmless infighting.
Five 6-7inch tarpon were also added to this space. Lived there for about 2 weeks. Some scales missing, fins slightly torn. Tarpons were still eating and healthy but I decided to move them out into another tank. Tarpons are very docile.
About 2 months after the move to the 8ft tank, a 2ft channa micro was added. The tank was divided 2 weeks later (as seen in below pics) when I found one of the odoe's tail sticking out of the SH's mouth. One dorado and tarpon had dissapeared the day earlier. This particular dorado was the smallest and had a single blind eye, I took him in at a discount. At first I thought the other dorados killed and ate him, again with out a trace. Upon seeing the channa eating an odoe, realized the channa prob ate that dorado and that tarpon (yea I know what was i thinking...just had to try as this particular channa was being sold from a cohab tank with various other species in 5-6inch sizes, displaying no sign of aggression). In this period, a 9inch crenicichla was added. No issues.
As you can see, the divided area is tiny. about 2x3x2 (with constant current). In theory, this should have exagerated and brought out any ill-manners, but none observed. One odoe smashed itself to death (broken nose), unknown reason, but I don't think it was the dorados. No damage to body, it prob got spooked (the channa lunges itself against the divider at times). This tank is in the basement and I've got construction going on, lights on and off, power tools, people walking by etc...
The rest have lived together in this very small space for about 2 months. That's 3 odoes, still 8-9 inches, and 7 dorados 6-8 inches. 1 9inch crencichla. No cross species fighting. Only Dorados squabble but harmless.
Prob irrelevant but note they've voluntarily stopped eating live feeders and chosen a meal worm diet for the past month or so which appears to be better for them because they've grown noticeably. The one gimp dorado has out grown the others, and now what I identify as alpha - he eats the most. Check out that tail!
That's my experience. What I've concluded from it is as follows:
1 dorado in a cohab is fine as long as he does not identify any of the other fish as "dorados" If so, he will treat them as of kin, chase them around resulting in someone getting hurt.
2 dorados, same effect as above.
3 dorados things are getting safer as when one chases the other, there's another around to diverge focus before damage occurs.
4 dorado and there after is what I've found to be most desirable and what most of us are probably looking for.
Adding dorados to an already established clan in my experience has been OK so long as the fish are similar in size (say 3/4 the largest or more).
My guess for successful cohabs is one where the dorado can not recognize the other as a dorado. if asked why the dorados didn't chase the odoes but did chase the tarpons around. My guess is because the tarpons swim actively similar to dorados, while odoes hover. That said, it's still up to the fish, or the alpha leader of those fish.
Size matters. I may try this again later. Tarpon growth rate is much faster than the dorado. I think a 2 to 1 size ratio is safe. When the dorado pair were in the ATF/Payara cohab and causing a ruckus, the tankmate's sizes were similar. They did not mess with the 13inch ATF however.
Bottom fish such as birchirs, cats, plecos etc are fine as long as they are don't easy to fit in the mouth.
Hope that helps...
Before anyone flames me for having these fish in such tight quarters, it's just a holding/collecting situation until the other tanks are finished.
Got my first 2 dorados approx. 9 months ago. If I remember correctly they were about 4 inches in length. I had the pair for a short time together with a ATF and payara cohab in a large tank but the dorados over activity disturbed the peace and would from time to time head butt the ATFs.
And so the dorado pair were moved to a small 25gallon by themselves. One was constantly vigorously chasing the other, sometimes non-aggressively, other times it would shear skin off the other (which healed very quickly). 2 months later, one died.
The one was transfered into a larger tank. Had five 8-9inch odoes, the incumbant fish in this 2x3x4 tank. Dorado didn't mess with the odoes. By then the Dorado was prob. about 5.5 inches. I added 2, 4 inchers and although there was some squabbling on the first day, the fish "shoaled" thereafter no aggressive fighting, but the alph took turns chasing the new comers. The next day I added 1 more 4inch dorado which assimulated fine. The 3 new fish followed the larger around the tank. It was at this point, pack hunting techniques could be observed, similar to dolphins.
By the time all 4 fish were roughly 5-6 inches, I added 2 more in the same tank, one 3inches, one 4inches. The 3 inch fish dissapeared with out a trace. The 4 inch joined the others constantly swiming around the tank following one another. No disturbances to the Odoes.
All fish mentioned above; 5 odoes still 8-9inches and 5 4-6inch dorados were then moved to another tank. This is the tank they have resided in for the past approx 4months; the time period for below info.
At day 1, this 8x2x3 tank housed one 13+inch VATF, a 1ft silver arrowana, six-seven 5-6inch african ciclids + several various sized tilapia. The dorado group kept to own group swiming left to right in a tight pack. One had it's tail removed by the ATF. (but i think this was a fluke). I added three more 5 inch dorados for grand total of 8. No disturbances to tankmates. Harmless infighting.
Five 6-7inch tarpon were also added to this space. Lived there for about 2 weeks. Some scales missing, fins slightly torn. Tarpons were still eating and healthy but I decided to move them out into another tank. Tarpons are very docile.
About 2 months after the move to the 8ft tank, a 2ft channa micro was added. The tank was divided 2 weeks later (as seen in below pics) when I found one of the odoe's tail sticking out of the SH's mouth. One dorado and tarpon had dissapeared the day earlier. This particular dorado was the smallest and had a single blind eye, I took him in at a discount. At first I thought the other dorados killed and ate him, again with out a trace. Upon seeing the channa eating an odoe, realized the channa prob ate that dorado and that tarpon (yea I know what was i thinking...just had to try as this particular channa was being sold from a cohab tank with various other species in 5-6inch sizes, displaying no sign of aggression). In this period, a 9inch crenicichla was added. No issues.
As you can see, the divided area is tiny. about 2x3x2 (with constant current). In theory, this should have exagerated and brought out any ill-manners, but none observed. One odoe smashed itself to death (broken nose), unknown reason, but I don't think it was the dorados. No damage to body, it prob got spooked (the channa lunges itself against the divider at times). This tank is in the basement and I've got construction going on, lights on and off, power tools, people walking by etc...
The rest have lived together in this very small space for about 2 months. That's 3 odoes, still 8-9 inches, and 7 dorados 6-8 inches. 1 9inch crencichla. No cross species fighting. Only Dorados squabble but harmless.
Prob irrelevant but note they've voluntarily stopped eating live feeders and chosen a meal worm diet for the past month or so which appears to be better for them because they've grown noticeably. The one gimp dorado has out grown the others, and now what I identify as alpha - he eats the most. Check out that tail!
That's my experience. What I've concluded from it is as follows:
1 dorado in a cohab is fine as long as he does not identify any of the other fish as "dorados" If so, he will treat them as of kin, chase them around resulting in someone getting hurt.
2 dorados, same effect as above.
3 dorados things are getting safer as when one chases the other, there's another around to diverge focus before damage occurs.
4 dorado and there after is what I've found to be most desirable and what most of us are probably looking for.
Adding dorados to an already established clan in my experience has been OK so long as the fish are similar in size (say 3/4 the largest or more).
My guess for successful cohabs is one where the dorado can not recognize the other as a dorado. if asked why the dorados didn't chase the odoes but did chase the tarpons around. My guess is because the tarpons swim actively similar to dorados, while odoes hover. That said, it's still up to the fish, or the alpha leader of those fish.
Size matters. I may try this again later. Tarpon growth rate is much faster than the dorado. I think a 2 to 1 size ratio is safe. When the dorado pair were in the ATF/Payara cohab and causing a ruckus, the tankmate's sizes were similar. They did not mess with the 13inch ATF however.
Bottom fish such as birchirs, cats, plecos etc are fine as long as they are don't easy to fit in the mouth.
Hope that helps...
Before anyone flames me for having these fish in such tight quarters, it's just a holding/collecting situation until the other tanks are finished.
