Would a dorado work with my tank/fish?

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Dovii
MFK Member
Sep 13, 2005
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I may be getting a 300 here soon and Im thinking of getting a dorado. My current fish are one 12" ATF, 6" Indo, two 6" wide bars, 6" redtail payara, 6" fei Feng, possibly my large 5-6" clown loaches, and 12" ornate bichir.

Now Ive seen dorado is monter communities before but Ive also heard that sometimes they just kill everything! If I get the dorado (LFS has them at 3") would he be fine with me fish?
 
Can't tell until you actually try them out as what we've heard from owners' experience vary fish by fish. I have yet to hear of members who tried ATFs with dorados though. From what I hear, characins will get quite territorial with fish that are slender, shiny, and fast (I heard of Armatus that didn't leave GATF alone). Mine are not aggressive toward other tankmates (arowanas, trimac, catfishes).

However, don't underestimate dorados stregnth and speed. Most people will agree that dorados will easily take down any ATF of comparable size. They can also easily swallow other fish that are 1/2 of their size. (Check out youtube by searching "Salminus"). Mine regularly eat three to four 4-5" smelts per day, unchopped.
 
Can't tell until you actually try them out as what we've heard from owners' experience vary fish by fish.
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Exactly, for instance I tried with redtail payaras w/Dats and the supposibly safe if it doesn't fit in Dats mouth advise was wrong. Found welts on the payara but never seen it attacked. Recently tossed in a 5"er dorado and 4" dat started tagging it. Ya never know
 
No I dont but I was thinking about dividing them.

My dat is punking my redtail payara right now but so far no damage just harmless chases. He even chases my ATF that is twice his size!

Ive been doing more research and Im still seeing some people with dorados in their community set ups and still some saying their dorados killed all of their fish!

Is $90 a good price for a 3" specimen. Another thing Im worried about is since the LFS will be ordering the fish and I dont get to see it in person before I buy is that it turns out to be a brycon sp.
 
there ok at small size but never stop moving and would stress your payara out but once they hit a 9 inch size or so then they will kill all ur fish. i had mine in with a red devil and they beat the crap ouf of him and they did the same with my african pike odoe. ur best bet with dorados is much larger fish then them like a 20 inch arrow with 10 inch dorados should work. i also tried a wolf fish with one dorado and the dorado beat the crap out it as well striking 3 and 4 times before the wolf knew what hit him.
 
focker;801388; said:
there ok at small size but never stop moving and would stress your payara out but once they hit a 9 inch size or so then they will kill all ur fish. i had mine in with a red devil and they beat the crap ouf of him and they did the same with my african pike odoe. ur best bet with dorados is much larger fish then them like a 20 inch arrow with 10 inch dorados should work. i also tried a wolf fish with one dorado and the dorado beat the crap out it as well striking 3 and 4 times before the wolf knew what hit him.
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:eek: Really? In my tank, they are at the bottom of the aggression rank. Get picked on by 9" Trimac all the time.
 
angeladay;801402; said:
:eek: Really? In my tank, they are at the bottom of the aggression rank. Get picked on by 9" Trimac all the time.
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thats because u added them to the tank after u had the trimack. wait until they settle in . it may take 6 mos or it may take a year. they may end of leaving him alone but if they do turn on him its game over.
 
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