Black Arowana Shy

[Icepak]

Sup fish keepers. I bought a 6” black arowana about 1 month ago living in a 125 gallon grow out tank. He is acting really shy still and fins slightly are damaged which I think is due to stress. He chills near the plants most of the day but I do see him swim at night or during feeding time. He’s eating shrimp, krill, meal worms, blood worms, and nibbles at Hikari food sticks. Water parameters are good, 10 nitrates, 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia. I have black neons, cherry rasboras, discus, golden nugget pleco and swordtails with him and no signs of aggression. I also had a 5” silver arowana with him and was super outgoing and healthy but began attacking the black arowana so I took him out. Just wanting to know if this shyness is normal for black arowanas? I have kept black arowanas in the past and all of them seemed to be super shy compared to silvers who are super social lol.

 

[Ansorgii]

They are character animals, I had both aggressive and shy ones (both black and white), tho I would argue the black ones are more often shy than the silver, and unless you have an exceptionally shy silver or harmonating "pair" the silver will always be more dominant. And having one that ignores the small fish is always great. I once had a 80cm silver swimming with wild Guppies, Tetras, Corys and Cichlids, an awesome sight, I just wish I had a bigger tank back them so I could have kept him.

 

[Icepak]

They are character animals, I had both aggressive and shy ones (both black and white), tho I would argue the black ones are more often shy than the silver, and unless you have an exceptionally shy silver or harmonating "pair" the silver will always be more dominant. And having one that ignores the small fish is always great. I once had a 80cm silver swimming with wild Guppies, Tetras, Corys and Cichlids, an awesome sight, I just wish I had a bigger tank back them so I could have kept him.

Thanks for the reply and knowledge! I’ve had silver arowanas in the past and your statement checks out. My silvers in the past are super social and I was even hand feeding them 3 days of buying it lol. This black arowana is eating but hiding a ton! Had him for a month now. How long did it take you for your black arowana to be more social?

 

[Ansorgii]

I think its something that comes with size. I had one for a long time that was always hiding and difficult to feed despite already being the largest fish in the tank. He later began to really shine with his new owners, who put him into a huge tank with altums.

Maybe it was also the calmer tankmates, I banned swordtails from my tanks for being little sh**s that bit into fins and wounds, but I seem to be the only one with that experience.

Silvers are a lot less difficult in that regard I once had one that after a few days jumped to eat out of my hand, which later transformed into attacking my Hand whenever it was above the tank, and that only with 20cm.