How do you raise silver aro and not get drop eye?

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C

coyotethug

Gambusia
MFK Member
Sep 3, 2005
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I have kept a number of silver aros over the last 20 years, but every time they get drop eye eventually. Last one was only in left eye, but still pretty bad. I heard other aros dont do this, is that true?

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IMO, all silver will have drop eye(s). I have kept more over a dozen of them in the past and all of them ended up with DE. People keep telling me that the reason they have DE because they were not Wild Caught, but I did prove that even a WC will has DE as well. if you don't like DE aro then go for the black arowana or jardini. I have never had a single black arowana and jardini that has DE for me.

just my experienced and opinion so let see what the others will say.
 
I think it's the lack of space. They don't usually get DE until they hit their head really hard. Since in the wild they don't encounter the lack of space issue, they have not evolved to heal from such injury, so DE results. I think that 98% of all silver arowanas will get DE in at least one eye. There are a few people that have managed to raise silvers without DE but who knows how long that lasted. I never seen a 36" silver arowana without DE. It's going to remain a mystery for a very..very..long time.

To answer the question of how to raise a silver arowana without DE, your best chances are raising them in a large pond.
To increase the chances, try to do everything that people have talked about, like surface feeding only, no feeders, don't add bottom-dwelling fish, avoid all things that can cause head trauma, ect...
 
well my arowana is a silver. It doesnt look like it has drop eye but there is a slight curvature which makes it look like its about to start in its left. but it has been this way for a long time. There are many theories why drop eye occurs. from whether its too small of a tank, genetics, bad quality water, or feeding issues. So the best think I can think of is apply every theory except for genetics. Tank, quality, and feeding is something YOU can control. Genetics is not. My uncle who is a marine biologist has experimented on arowanas for years. and none of them except for 1 had drop eye (had about 12). The only real way to prevent drop eye is like lowering the water so far down that they cant look down or their bellies are like 4 inches above ground. but has to be large surface area. But this is just a stupid method that my uncle has done. though they all are in great condition still. But dont do this. I strongly suggest you dont because it can get nerve racking if you dont take care of the water right. Anyways! what i did was Never Feed it anything that can drop passed it. Meaning Everything MUST FLOAT. no carnivore pellets no massivore pellets (hikari). All foods must be floating all the time. this will keep the fish from looking down. floating pellets (sena and hikari), crickets, roaches, beatles, and floating insects are actually my main source for food for him. I try to keep away from meal worms, superworms, and fish fillets because they tend to sink. My aro doesnt like mealworms or super worms anyways. I do not feed feeder because my arowana is dumb enough to go full charge right into the glass chasing a stupid goldfish. I didnt it once, and will never do it again (but its your preference). Floating food is probably the best way to go. If you trained your awowana to jump to grab food from your hands, great. keep it doing that (wear gloves). its like a simulation of real life i guess. but yes! this is my advice to you! And those of you who said blacks dont get drop eye its not 100% true. I've seen a few blacks with drop eye. but they were in poor condition (saw them at an asian restaurant - tank wayy too small)
 
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