The Arowanas are fascinating fishes, but they will require a very large aquarium. It is not uncommon for an Arowana fish to reach a size of 75 centimetres (30 inches), and the maximum size is 120 centimeters (48 inches) for the largest species. Arowanas are not only large, they are also aggressive predators and your Arowana should therefore be kept alone in its own aquarium or with larger fish species that can fend for themselves. Arowana fish are not suitable for inexperienced aquarists. You should also have quite a large aquarium budget before you begin to even ponder the idea of getting an Arowana, since an Arowana costs a lot of money. In addition to being expensive to purchase, the Arowana will need a large (=expensive) aquarium and eat a lot of food. Keeping an Arowana fish is however a fascinating experience and with proper care you can look forward to 20 years with your Arowana.

One of the most commonly kept Arowana species is Silver Arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum), since it is less expensive than many other Arowana species. You can usually buy a Silver Arowana when it is pretty small, but it will rapidly grow large and you should therefore only obtain a Silver Arowana if you know that you will be able to house it and care for it. You Arowana can grow 5 centimeters (2 inches) a month during its first year.

The Silver Arowana fish has a body equipped with large and bony scales. Two barbells are located at the lower jaw. An immature Silver Arowana will have yellow and/or orange bar on the side of its body. Silver Arowanas are susceptible to a condition known as “Drop Eye”. In a fish suffering from Drop Eye the eye will appear to be constantly looking down, towards the bottom of the aquarium. We still do not know for sure exactly what causes this problem in Silver Arowanas, but it might be the result of irresponsible breeding. Another suggestion is that Drop Eye is caused by a build up of fatty tissues behind the eye and that Drop Eye can be prevented by keeping your Arowana on a low-fat diet and make sure not to overfeed it.

The Asian Arowana is another example of an Arowana species that can be successfully kept in aquariums. The Asian Arowana is however much less common than the Silver Arowana. It is an endangered species and purchasing a wild caught Asian Arowana is therefore illegal in most parts of the world. Even when buying a captivity bred Asian Arowana, or when you by an old Arowana that was caught many years before the ban, you will most likely encounter a certain amount of paperwork. There are many different types of Asian Arowanas, including Super Red Arowana, Golden Arowana, Cross Back Golden Arowana, Red Tail Arowana and Green Arowana. In South East Asia, the Asian Arowana is commonly known as Dragon Fish and many people view it as an incarnation of a true dragon. Since the mythological dragon is associated with luck and happiness, keeping an Arowana will supposedly bring fortune and bliss to the aquarist. The powerful Arowana is also capable of scaring off evil forces.

 

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Arowana articles

Arowana fish - An article about Arowana fish
Asian Arowana - An article about the asian arowana
Silver Arowana - An article about Silver Arowana