A Prehistoric Gem
With such power and unmatched grace the Arowana is truly one of a kind
Arowanas are sometimes imported as juveniles from South America. As babies they are only 3-4" in length and sell for about $25. If you are willing to provide for a fish that will grow to about 26" in captivity and eat food like you wouldn't believe, then the Arowana can make an unusual pet that can live more than 20 years. Their relationship to prehistoric fish makes them especially interesting and unusual aquarium pets.
Tank Setup
Young specimens are peaceful, older ones must be kept with only big fish that can fend for themselves. Plan ahead. A tank of at least 280g gallons will be needed when the youngster grows up. In a roomy tank the Arowana shows off it's graceful, sleek movements. These true bony fish are predators, ready to snap at each other. They prefer tanks with sandy bottoms and a few hardy plants although they hang out near the top of the tank for most of the day. Have open areas at the top of the tank for the fish to swim around in. Arowanas are very good jumpers, being able to jump five ten or more. Thus, the tank must be very tightly covered with a solid canopy.
Feeding
Silver Arowanas are carnivorous and need to be fed a constant diet of meaty and live foods. In some cases only live foods will be accepted. In such cases the fish should be allowed to fast for a day and then offered prepared foods. Favorite foods include live fish, night crawlers, beef heart and meaty prepared fish foods.
Water Chemistry
Silver Arowanas require soft, slightly acidic, well-filtered water. A basic temperature of 75-82 degrees F is recommended.
Breeding
Breeding is possible. They play around in a dance for a while and then spawn. The eggs are very large, up to a half inch in diameter. The male broods them in his mouth and they develop in 50-60 days. The fry have a yoke sack attached to the bottom of them.
Silver Arowana
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Sci Name:
Osteoglossum bicirrhosum
Family:
Osteoglossidae
Origin:
Amazon basin
Max Size:
47"
pH:
Slightly Acidic
Temp:
72-82 F.
Tank Size:
280 Gallons
Feeding:
Carnivorous
by Mike McEwan
