Golden Dorado, Freshwater Dorado
(Salminus maxillosus or Salminus brasiliensis)

The Golden Dorado (Salminus maxillosus or Salminus brasiliensis) is a large river fish that lives in South America. Despite having Salminus in its name, the dorado is not related to any species of salmon, nor to the saltwater fish also called dorado.

Golden Dorado Description

Dorado have large heads, with powerful jaws that are filled with sharp teeth. They reach maturity around 37 centimetres (15 in) long, and are golden colored. The average size of the golden dorado is about 3-10 kilograms. The largest recorded size is 100 cm length and 31.4 kg (69 pounds).

Distribution and habitat

 

Dorado live in the warm waters of the La Plata Basin and the Amazon systems in South America, specifically in Brazil (where it's called Dourado - from Ouro, the Portuguese for Gold) Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia. The dorado is considered an endangered species in Paraguay and therefore a 5-year fishing ban is currently on effect there.

Dorado Diet

Dorados are piscivores, eating a wide variety of prey fish. One of the dorado's favorite prey are sabalo, a type of schooling fish typically 1-4 kg in weight.

The Dorado is highly sought-after by anglers, both for its delicious taste and fighting ability. It is, however, extremely difficult to catch. The aggressive nature of the dorado, its high jumps, and great fighting strength and stamina have created a great competitive market among anglers from all corners of the world, traversing South American waters in hopes of hooking a dorado.

Culinary Preparation

Dorados are excellent to eat and are often barbecued with tomatoes and bell peppers. Often utilized in the making of fish soups they are also popularly fried in South America. The Dorado has a white flaky flesh with a notably high fat content.