Biology and culture of dourado fish (Salminus brasiliensis)

Abstract

The freshwater fish-farming is a recent activity which is in large development in Brazil, with great diversity of species with high potential for fish-farming, highlighting the dourado fish (Salminus brasiliensis) among them. However, researches on this species so far are already scarce and the main objective of this study is to seek relevant information on the biology and cultivation of the dourado. This species is characterized by a high weight gain because it reaches the timing of commercialization of juvenile in a period of time 30% less than most species. Despite being a carnivorous species, it has good acceptance of artificial diet and supports the management, but there is not a diet in trade so far that meets the needs of fish. As a migratory species, when established in captivity, it has no natural spawning, so that there are appropriate techniques for hormonal induction that cause the ovulation to occur, release of sperm and spawning, which in the natural environment is only achieved during the “piracema”. Keywords: tropical species, native fish, carnivorous fish