Taxonomy & naming
Orinocodoras eigenmanni was described by George S. Myers in 1927 from the Caño de Quiribana near Caicara, Venezuela. It is valid in the family Doradidae, and Orinocodoras is a single-species genus named for the river it inhabits.
Morphology
FishBase gives a maximum of 8 in SL. Like other doradids it is scaleless, with a row of bony plates along the flank and sharp, lockable spines in the pectoral and dorsal fins. Colour pattern is not recorded in the sources used here.
Habitat
FishBase lists the species from the Orinoco River basin and describes it as a demersal, tropical freshwater fish. Water chemistry values are not recorded.
Feeding
Diet is not recorded in the FishBase entry. Related doradids eat invertebrates, fruit and detritus found on the bottom.
Mating
Courtship is not recorded.
Breeding
Breeding in captivity is not recorded.
In the aquarium
At 8 in SL it needs a large tank with a soft substrate, caves and wood. Use a container rather than a net to move it because the spines tangle. Feed sinking foods after lights-out.
Conservation
The IUCN Red List assessed Orinocodoras eigenmanni as Least Concern in 2020. No species-specific threats are listed in the sources used here.