The golden dorado is native to warm freshwater habitats in southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia and northern Argentina.
Here it inhabits the Paraguay (including the Pantanal), Paraná, Uruguay, Chapare, Mamoré and Guaporé River basins, and the drainage of the Lagoa dos Patos.
Outside its native range, the golden dorado has been introduced to several southeast Brazilian river basins, notably Doce, Paraíba do Sul, Iguazu and Guaraguaçu.

Other South American river basins hold relatives of this species: S. franciscanus in the São Francisco Basin, S. hilarii in the upper Paraná, Amazon and Orinoco basins, and S. affinis in the Santiago and Magdalena basins in Ecuador and Colombia.

The golden dorado generally prefers water temperatures between 20 and 28 °C (68–82 °F).
It is migratory in response to temperature, season and food sources, and moves upstream, typically about 400 km (250 mi), to spawn in the spring and summer.
It is generally a solitary species, but migrates in groups.
The females reach maturity when 4–5 years old and can lay up to 2 million eggs, which are released near the water surface.
Golden dorados can reach an age of more than 15 years.
The golden dorado is native to warm freshwater habitats in southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia and northern Argentina. Here it inhabits the Paraguay (including the Pantanal), Paraná, Uruguay, Chapare, Mamoré and Guaporé River basins, and the drainage of the Lagoa dos Patos. Outside its native range, the golden dorado has been introduced to several southeast Brazilian river basins, notably Doce, Paraíba do Sul, Iguazu and Guaraguaçu.
Other South American river basins hold relatives of this species: S. franciscanus in the São Francisco Basin, S. hilarii in the upper Paraná, Amazon and Orinoco basins, and S. affinis in the Santiago and Magdalena basins in Ecuador and Colombia.
The golden dorado generally prefers water temperatures between 20 and 28 °C (68–82 °F). It is migratory in response to temperature, season and food sources, and moves upstream, typically about 400 km (250 mi), to spawn in the spring and summer. It is generally a solitary species, but migrates in groups. The females reach maturity when 4–5 years old and can lay up to 2 million eggs, which are released near the water surface. Golden dorados can reach an age of more than 15 years.
Salminus brasiliensis