Salminus affinis
General Info
Salminus affinis, the silver dorado, is a localized species of dorado from Ecuadorian rivers. This fish is almost unknown in the hobby. They do not achieve the same massive size as the golden dorados.
Distribution
South America: Magdalena River basin and Santiago River basin in Ecuador.
Diagnostic Traits for Hobbyists
-Easily identified by being the only member of the genus with a bifurcate tail
-Very shiny silvery flanks
-Red tail
-Often has a dark stripe posterior of the eye
-Grey stripes
-Caudal fin extension (point) absent
Academic Diagnostic Traits
Scale counts unavailable. Distinguished from congeners by the presence of a postorbital stripe, bifurcate tail and absence of a caudal extension (point). Facial bones and pelvic girdle silver or grey. Flanks silvery chrome and very shiney. Tail red.
Size
In aquaria this species will likely not exceed eighteen inches. The world record fish was caught in 2009 by Alejandro Linares and was eleven pounds, zero ounces.