Arowana Care

                                    

    Based on my previous post. I would like to share few facts about the Arowana.

    Arowanas are incredible fish. They are seen as a symbol of luck, wealth and prosperity. Owners of Arowana believe that if they treat the fish well, it will protect them from misfortune and bring the good luck. They are also the world's most expensive aquarium fish and their price vary according to the types of Arowana. Arowanas are also called the 'Dragon Fish' because of its fierce look and its scale. They are also strong and agressive swimmers that can grow up to 4 feet and weigh up to 6kg. If you look after them in the right way, they can live from 10-15 years. Arowanas are beauties in the eye of the beholder but keeping one as pet is not that easy. Arowana requires special care. If you are planning to get one, here are few things you might want to take into consideration.

Variation of Arowanas: 

South American Arowana -Silver Arowana (Osteoglossum Bicirrhosum)                                              -Black Arowana (Osteoglossum Ferreirai)

Australian Arowana - Australian Arowana (Scleropages Jardinii)                                     - Saratoga (Scleropages Leichardti)

Asian Arowana - Green Arowana (Scleropages Formosus)                            - Banjar / Yellow Tail Arowana (Scleropages Formosus)                            - Red Tail Golden Arowana (Scleropages Formosus)                            - Golden Arowana (Scleropages Formosus)                            - Red Arowana (Scleropages Formosus)                            - Batik Arowana (Scleropages Inscriptus)

African Arowana - African Arowana (Heterotis Niloticus

Variants Of Arowana- Albino Arowana                                       - Platinum Arowana

There are also other variants of Arowana that exist because of cross breeding. For detailed information you can visit: https://modestfish.com/arowana/

Things to consider before buying an Arowana:

1) Size

It is best to purchase young Arowanas that are about 15-20cm as it is the best way you can groom it. If you want to purchase a fully grown one, its not a problem at all. Most owner prefer breeding the Arowana when it is young. They tend to get attached to the fish when they do so. 

2) Active and Alert

Purchase Arowana that are active so that they won't feel timid when you put them in your tank at home. You wouldn't want a pretty fish like that to just stay put at one corner. 

3) Background Check

Before purchasing, it is best if you know the history of the fish. Like when it arrived at the shop or which country it was from. 

4) Diet

Arowana have high protein quality diet. Feeding them with other food would only kill them faster. Arowanas usually feed on crickets and centipedes. Some owner use pellets. Check with the owner on the diet of the fish. 

5) Health and Condition

Use the checklist to ensure your Arowana is healthy and in a good condition.

   

Body Parts	Things to Look Out For
Scales	❑ Arowana Scales should be shining/radiant and complete. ❑ The coloration of the scales should be even and clear. ❑ There should be no decaying scales.
Head	❑ The head should be free of any holes/injuries. ❑ Ratio of its head to its body should be 1:3.
Mouth	❑ The mouth should close properly with the ends of the top jaw and bottom jaw meeting. ❑ There should be no protrusions, bleeding or pus.
Barbel	❑ Both barbels should be of equal length, straight and pointing upwards. ❑ Barbels should not have any granule-like particles on them.
Fins	❑ All fins should be fully stretched without damages. ❑ Appears translucent without signs of blood clotting at the base.
Gills	❑ The colour of the gills should be clear and fresh red. ❑ Breathing should be regular, not irregular/rapid.
Operculum (Gill Flap)	❑ Operculum should be close to its body and not curled. ❑ Operculum of matured RTG and Crossbacks should appear shiny instead of dull coloured. ❑ Matured red Arowanas should have bright orangey-red, orange or red colours, etc.
Eyes	❑ Both eyes should be of same sizes and full, not dented or bulging. ❑ Cornea should be bright and clear, not cloudy.
Vent	❑ Its vent should be tight, not protruded/swollen or bloody red.

6) Authentication

Arowana are bred in farms and they have seriel code. Once you decide to buy it, scan the fish for the chip and verify it with the farm on the authenticity of the strains that you are buying. 

Tank Set Up

    Now, you must also be wondering the set up of your tank. 

    Bear in mind that Arowanas are monster fish and they require lots of space. Also remember that Arowanas are agressive swimmers and are strong enough to break glass tanks that is less than half a inch thick. So check the thickness of your tank. Another thing you might want to consider is getting a strudy tank lid with not gap. Arowanas have the tendency to jump right out of the tank. So before getting an Arowana, decide first where you would like to position your take because it won't be easy to move about as they are heavy and big. Below is the minimum tank size you may use. 

*220 gallons (6’ x 2.5’ x 2’) for a South American arowana
*120 gallons (4’ x 2’ x 2’) for an Asian or Australian arowana

    For the decoration, you not to worry because the fish themselves are a decoration. Arowana owner don't usually decorate their tanks. They leave it empty because it gives the fish ample space and it also ease cleaning. However, if you still want to decorate, you can add pebbles or simple water plants or even place lightings in the tank but make sure your tank is not crowded. 

    Minimize only one Arowana per tank. Arowanas are solitary fishes. They don't tolerate other Arowana species around them even if they are of the same kind.

    So that's about it.Hopefully these insights would help you if you are planning on getting on. Keeping an Arowana as pet requires lots of work but it is worth it seeing this beautiful monster swimming graciously in your tanks.