Skittish Arowana, Help !!

[Pataphysicist]

So, I think ive been obsessed with the silver arowana since I first laid eyes on them. Since then ive had around 10-12 Arowanas. So far ive only had luck with one of them and it was given to me when she was already 22", very docile and let me hand feed her. Sadly, I couldn't watch her in my 220 gallon aymore, she was too big for it. So she's doing well in a friends outside pond. Since then ive tried 5 other arowanas, all of them around 12-14" I cannot get close to the tank or try to clean intakes at all or else she bolts and jumps around banging her self in the lip. Any way to stop this? or do they stop doing this once they hit adulthood. She's developing a lump on her lip from the amount of times she bang her self. Right now I have the tank in the living room so she's always watching someone. So it shouldn't be a problem of low interaction with her, I sit sometimes close to the tank slowly, and she wont freak out. But the second I stand up and get close she freaks...

 

[millerkid519]

Start standing beside the tank more often then sitting kepp your dI stance where she is con for table aND inch closer every couple of days. After a few weeks start inching you way into the water if she freaks out just stop and leave it at that for the day and try again the next day. You have to kinda coax her into being more comfortable. I had the same issue with the silver I have now and it took almost 6 months to be near the tank with out him freaking out but now I can have my hands in the tank and it doesn't bother him.

 

[millerkid519]

Oh and if I am wearing bright red or bright blue he freaks out... don't ask me why

 

[D-RIG]

You should try dimming the lights and add some plants either
real or plastic , never wear dark colored clothing as they associate
that as a predator .

I know what your going through I always walk into the room very
slowly as to not spook my fish and to make sure the fish is not facing
away from me when walking towards the tank , I always wear light colored
clothing when working on the tank .

Also when working on your tank feed your Aro first it seams to help
at least it does with my Aro . Good luck it can be a long process
but keep trying .

 

[Pataphysicist]

I didn't know about the light colored clothes, ill try that. I have everyone in my house and everyone who comes over walking on eggshells. I'm always yelling across the room . DONT GET CLOSE TO THE TANK, THEY ARE NOT TOYS !. My wife hates it how i get so edgy when ppl get to close and my arowana freaks.. drives me nuts. So now i have 2 x chairs blocking each entrance to the tank lol. My wife says she be out of the house before my fish are ^^. They just dont get it , also she's a very good eater, always begging for food on the side of the tank where i always drop the food in. I guess my goal is to stop making her freak out, is going to be a LONG process . Do you think that having a black background adds this skittish behavior on her? my reflection when i walk towards it maybe?

 

[millerkid519]

No it shouldn't but on the other hand she might be focusing on you in the back of the tank.. I would feed her and just stand by the tank for about 20 minutes which I know isn't hard when you love them. Judge your distance and go on how the fish takes it. It's no different then a dog or other animal