ok so it seems these kind of threads are becoming more and more popular, i thought i do one on my all time favorite fish! THE SILVER AROWANA 
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Scientific Name: Osteoglossum bicirrhosum
General:
Osteoglossum bicirrhosum a.k.a silver arowana is the most common and inexpensive of all the arowana species, and yet is one of the largest growing up to 4 feet (3 being average) and in some rare cases due to genetics, grow 5FT IN LENGTH!!!!
The Silver is more elongated and has longer fins than its Asian and Australian cousins. As with all Arowanas, it has barbel-like extensions protruding from the mouth. The body can range in color from a flat silver to a rich aray of blues, reds, and pinks. The fins can carry the same variations in color as the body but can also display striping to the point where they resemble tiger markings, which is most apparent on juveniles. If raised properly, this fish can break beyond the boundaries of being just a "plain old Silver" and become a top quality fish that demands just as much attention as their Asian counterparts. A very common deformity that is striking more and more Silver Arowanas kept in captivity today is drop eye, a condition where the eye(s) constantly look down. It can be brought on by a fatty diet which will create deposits of fat behind the eyes. However, it is said that the more common cause is the fact that these fish are now being primarily farm raised. This creates a shallower gene pool than what is found in the wild, and can lead to a genetic predisposition to the condition. Almost all Silvers kept in tanks will get it in at least one eye.
Habitat/distribution:
Silver Arowana are found naturally in white and black water floodplains and forests of South America in the freshwaters of the Amazon River Basin and maybe in the Rupununi and Oyapock Rivers, and in some still waters of Guyana as well. There is indication that they dont go through rapids, as they havent promulgated further upstream. Most of the Silver Arowana are found in the swamp and flooded areas in the shallower water.
care:
Silver arowanas will adapt to most water supplys with ease, though they do need exellent water quality as in 0 ammonia & nitrite. Nitrates should be kept as low as possible, 20ppm of nitrate being the minimum but lower is better. 50-75% water changes should be done at least once a week for these are large producers of high protein waste, more water changes are even better. Temperature should be between 75 and 82 degrees F. slightly higher will not harm them. Minimum tanks size for this fish should be no less than 180 gallons or a single arowana. A 300 gal would be the minimum tank size for life. Silver Arowanas are known to be quite "skittish" as far as fish go. They get scared very easily so a heavy tight fitting lid is a nessesity, and these fish a powerful jumpers, a strudy lid made of matericlas such as acrylic should be used as aros have been know to small straight through glass lids, also a heavy object should be place over the lid as a large silver can knock a lid clear of the tank (as i have experienced)
as for tank mates it all comes down to the fishs personality itself. as rule of thumb, no tankmate should be kept with this fish that can fit in its mouth. Anything smaller and its at your own risk.( i have successfully kept small fish with a silver arowana, smallest being 2.5 inches and not a single attempt to eat it or any other of my fish for that matter)
Feeding:
the silver arowana is a pure carnivorous fish and will take a variety of meaty foods
the most important thing is to get your fish on a high quality commercial diet of pellets or food sticks, This should be the staple of the fishes diet, avoid live feeders such as goldfish as they have a high fat content, contain an enyme that inhibits the absorbtion of thiamin and can carry diseases & parasites. Silver Arowanas can eat a wide variety of foods: pellets, shrimp, krill, night crawlers, earth worms, scallop's, blood worms, tubefix worms, crickets, fish fillet, squid, grasshopper (for larger arowanas) and even pinky mice. Sometimes a little patients is required to get this fish to eat certain food items such as pellets. This can be accomplishes by periods of fasting until they accept the food item.
THIS ONLY APPLIES TO HEALTHY SILVER AROWANAS. Sick or malnurished fish may get worse or may not survive from fasting, a suppliment of garlic extract or other food enticer may get this fish to accept it's food.
tip: if you want the full poential color out of your Silver Arowana, start at a young age. Feed a high quality color enhancing food such as hikari carnivorous food sticks, cichlid gold, or a new life spectrum formula. Another way is to purchase crickets of the correct size, and gut load them on the commercial food (soak first) and add baby carrot to the diet( the carrots also provide moisture), once your crickets are done eating you are ready to serve them out to your young silver.
Special note: a vitamin suppliment should be added to the diet daily for extra health benefits such as strong disease prevention. Very good for conditioning a silver before breeding.
breeding:
Silver arowanas aren't that hard to breed as some may think, provided the tank is big enough and you have a pair. A pair is obtained by raising a group together and watching them pair off. If you live in a warmer climate successful breeding will be more easily accomplished if you have an outdoor pond. Arowanas are mouth brooders, meaning the eggs are hatched in the parent's mouths specifically the males mouth. The growing fry will also be raised in this location till they are about 42 days old.
noted observation: from my experience the female seems to stop eating 3-4 week before she lays her eggs. And becomes very agressive in that time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scientific Name: Osteoglossum bicirrhosum
General:
Osteoglossum bicirrhosum a.k.a silver arowana is the most common and inexpensive of all the arowana species, and yet is one of the largest growing up to 4 feet (3 being average) and in some rare cases due to genetics, grow 5FT IN LENGTH!!!!
The Silver is more elongated and has longer fins than its Asian and Australian cousins. As with all Arowanas, it has barbel-like extensions protruding from the mouth. The body can range in color from a flat silver to a rich aray of blues, reds, and pinks. The fins can carry the same variations in color as the body but can also display striping to the point where they resemble tiger markings, which is most apparent on juveniles. If raised properly, this fish can break beyond the boundaries of being just a "plain old Silver" and become a top quality fish that demands just as much attention as their Asian counterparts. A very common deformity that is striking more and more Silver Arowanas kept in captivity today is drop eye, a condition where the eye(s) constantly look down. It can be brought on by a fatty diet which will create deposits of fat behind the eyes. However, it is said that the more common cause is the fact that these fish are now being primarily farm raised. This creates a shallower gene pool than what is found in the wild, and can lead to a genetic predisposition to the condition. Almost all Silvers kept in tanks will get it in at least one eye.
Habitat/distribution:
Silver Arowana are found naturally in white and black water floodplains and forests of South America in the freshwaters of the Amazon River Basin and maybe in the Rupununi and Oyapock Rivers, and in some still waters of Guyana as well. There is indication that they dont go through rapids, as they havent promulgated further upstream. Most of the Silver Arowana are found in the swamp and flooded areas in the shallower water.
care:
Silver arowanas will adapt to most water supplys with ease, though they do need exellent water quality as in 0 ammonia & nitrite. Nitrates should be kept as low as possible, 20ppm of nitrate being the minimum but lower is better. 50-75% water changes should be done at least once a week for these are large producers of high protein waste, more water changes are even better. Temperature should be between 75 and 82 degrees F. slightly higher will not harm them. Minimum tanks size for this fish should be no less than 180 gallons or a single arowana. A 300 gal would be the minimum tank size for life. Silver Arowanas are known to be quite "skittish" as far as fish go. They get scared very easily so a heavy tight fitting lid is a nessesity, and these fish a powerful jumpers, a strudy lid made of matericlas such as acrylic should be used as aros have been know to small straight through glass lids, also a heavy object should be place over the lid as a large silver can knock a lid clear of the tank (as i have experienced)
as for tank mates it all comes down to the fishs personality itself. as rule of thumb, no tankmate should be kept with this fish that can fit in its mouth. Anything smaller and its at your own risk.( i have successfully kept small fish with a silver arowana, smallest being 2.5 inches and not a single attempt to eat it or any other of my fish for that matter)
Feeding:
the silver arowana is a pure carnivorous fish and will take a variety of meaty foods
the most important thing is to get your fish on a high quality commercial diet of pellets or food sticks, This should be the staple of the fishes diet, avoid live feeders such as goldfish as they have a high fat content, contain an enyme that inhibits the absorbtion of thiamin and can carry diseases & parasites. Silver Arowanas can eat a wide variety of foods: pellets, shrimp, krill, night crawlers, earth worms, scallop's, blood worms, tubefix worms, crickets, fish fillet, squid, grasshopper (for larger arowanas) and even pinky mice. Sometimes a little patients is required to get this fish to eat certain food items such as pellets. This can be accomplishes by periods of fasting until they accept the food item.
THIS ONLY APPLIES TO HEALTHY SILVER AROWANAS. Sick or malnurished fish may get worse or may not survive from fasting, a suppliment of garlic extract or other food enticer may get this fish to accept it's food.
tip: if you want the full poential color out of your Silver Arowana, start at a young age. Feed a high quality color enhancing food such as hikari carnivorous food sticks, cichlid gold, or a new life spectrum formula. Another way is to purchase crickets of the correct size, and gut load them on the commercial food (soak first) and add baby carrot to the diet( the carrots also provide moisture), once your crickets are done eating you are ready to serve them out to your young silver.
Special note: a vitamin suppliment should be added to the diet daily for extra health benefits such as strong disease prevention. Very good for conditioning a silver before breeding.
breeding:
Silver arowanas aren't that hard to breed as some may think, provided the tank is big enough and you have a pair. A pair is obtained by raising a group together and watching them pair off. If you live in a warmer climate successful breeding will be more easily accomplished if you have an outdoor pond. Arowanas are mouth brooders, meaning the eggs are hatched in the parent's mouths specifically the males mouth. The growing fry will also be raised in this location till they are about 42 days old.
noted observation: from my experience the female seems to stop eating 3-4 week before she lays her eggs. And becomes very agressive in that time.
thanks for sharing 
