How to Care for Arowana Fish: Complete Guide

Mastering tips to deal with arowana fish or any aquarium world’s most luxurious creatures. Our finished support covers all the pieces from tank standards and feeding schedules to ailment prevention and breeding concepts, making certain your arowana thrives in captivity whereas sustaining its regal magnificence and colourful fitness. Keeping an arowana fish represents considered one of aquaculture’s maximum profitable demanding situations. These ancient predators, recurrently called dragon fish, command attention with their metallic scales and swish hobbies. Yet their care needs precision, patience, and a factual dedication to growing an surroundings where these wonderful creatures can flourish.

The event to positive arowana conserving begins with know-how that those should not novice fish. Their widespread size, exclusive environmental needs, and delicate nature require experienced fingers. According to PetMD’s investigation, arowanas can develop up to two inches in step with month for the duration of their first yr, a enlargement cost that catches many unprepared keepers off maintain.

Understanding Arowana Fish Biology

Before developing any machine, take hold of what makes these fish pleasing. Arowanas belong to the Osteoglossidae household, an ancient lineage that has survived for tens of millions of years. Their elongated bodies, lined in wide metallic scales, serve either aesthetic and lifelike applications. The individual upturned mouth and lengthy barbels close their lessen jaw help them stumble on action at the water’s surface, where they certainly hunt.

These surface feeders possess a singular bony tongue constitution that facilitates crush prey. Biology Dictionary notes that this version enables them to consume increased prey gifts than you would possibly anticipate for their jaw dimension. In their organic habitat throughout South America, Asia, Australia, and Africa, they inhabit slow-relocating waters, flooded forests, and river tributaries in which they may be able to patrol the higher water column.

The National Zoo’s observations highlight their super leaping ability. Wild arowanas incessantly leap from the water to snatch bugs, small birds, and even bats from low-striking branches. This behaviour has earned them one more nickname: water monkeys.

How to Care for Arowana Fish

How to Care for Arowana Fish

Essential Tank Setup Requirements

Tank Size and Dimensions

Space subjects dramatically for arowana future health. Juveniles may live to tell the tale temporarily in smaller environments, however making plans for person length prevents long term headaches and pressure-connected future health issues.

Fish Size Minimum Tank Volume Recommended Dimensions

Juvenile (four-8 inches) 60 gallons four toes x 1.5 toes x 1.5 ft

Sub-person (eight-16 inches) 150 gallons five feet x 2 ft x 2 feet

Adult Silver Arowana 250-300 gallons 6 ft x 2.five ft x 2.five ft

Adult Asian/Australian 220 gallons minimum 6 ft x 2 toes x 2 toes

Large Adult (24+ inches) four hundred-800 gallons 8 ft x three feet x three ft

The Smithsonian’s Living Planet Aquarium emphasizes that horizontal swimming space topics extra than tank height. These fish patrol territories horizontally, so period and width take precedence over intensity.

Glass thickness are not able to be compromised. Arowanas generate considerable strength, and tanks with glass thinner than half of an inch menace catastrophic failure. We counsel reputable-grade aquariums equipped primarily for monster fish, and the tank stand would have to give a boost to the sizeable weight fascinated.

Water Parameters and Quality

Maintaining stable water circumstances separates triumphant keepers from those that battle with constant overall healthiness issues. Research from aquarium specialists confirms that parameter steadiness subjects greater than hitting particular numbers.

Critical Water Parameters:

Temperature: 75-86°F (24-30°C)

pH Level: 6.zero-7.five (soft to quite acidic)

Ammonia: 0 ppm (truly quintessential)

Nitrite: zero ppm (both indispensable)

Nitrate: Below 20 ppm (diminish is more suitable)

Water Hardness: 5-12 dGH

Arowanas coach precise sensitivity to nitrates, unlike many other good sized fish. Weekly partial water variations of 25-30% support preserve ultimate conditions. Some experienced keepers participate in smaller day by day differences, which creates even more solid stipulations.

Investment in pleasant take a look at kits pays dividends. The API Master Test Kit or comparable products let proper monitoring of these parameters. Digital thermometers supply extra professional readings than stick-on types.

Filtration and Circulation

These fish produce substantive waste, making strong filtration non-negotiable. Your clear out manner must course of the whole tank quantity at the very least 4 instances hourly. For a 250-gallon tank, objective for filters rated at 1,000 gallons according to hour minimal.

Recommended Filtration Options:

External canister filters (FX6, Eheim 2260)

Sump filtration platforms

Multiple grasp-on-lower back chronic filters

Custom rainy/dry trickle structures

Aquarium Store directions shows combining mechanical, organic, and chemical filtration systems. Mechanical filtration removes particulate topic, biological filtration techniques ammonia and nitrites using useful micro organism colonies, when chemical filtration (activated carbon) gets rid of dissolved healthy compounds and odours.

Water circulate must create reasonable to effective modern devoid of creating parts the place your arowana struggles to swim. Position filter out outflows to generate round go with the flow patterns that mimic river currents.

Lighting and Tank Placement

Position your aquarium in a quiet space faraway from direct solar, home windows, and excessive-traffic zones. According to PetMD’s care lookup, arowanas startle conveniently, and sudden hobbies or vibrant lighting fixtures cause tension responses.

Lighting serves two applications: viewing your fish and potentially modifying colour. Standard aquarium lighting work wonderful for silver arowanas and so much species. However, keepers of pink or golden sorts normally use really expert https://arowanaz.org/product/platinum-arowana-for-sale/ tanning lights to accentuate shade. Keep photoperiods consistent at 10-12 hours everyday.

Tank Lid and Safety

Never underestimate arowana jumping talent. These fish can clean a number of toes while startled or looking. A dependable, fitted lid without a gaps prevents accidents and escapes. Some keepers use netting or acrylic covers, however some thing approach you decide upon, be sure that full insurance policy with adequate air flow.

Feeding Your Arowana: Nutrition and Diet

Understanding Dietary Needs

Carnivorous arowanas require top-protein diets wealthy in considered necessary vitamins and minerals. In nature, they consume insects, smaller fish, crustaceans, and now and again small reptiles or amphibians. Captive diets must always reflect this model whereas ensuring balanced food.

Feeding studies from MonsterFishKeepers demonstrates that selection prevents nutritional deficiencies. Relying solely on one nutrients fashion, even though handy, creates healthiness disorders through the years.

Primary Food Sources

High-Quality Pellets and Sticks

Specially formulated arowana pellets or sticks (Hikari Massivore, Omega One Super Color) must always style the inspiration. These incorporate balanced proteins, nutritional vitamins, and minerals. Look for merchandise itemizing total fish or fish meal as well-known meals.

Live Foods

Market Prawns: Excellent protein resource and typical shade enhancer. Feed whole with shells for increased fish, put off shells for juveniles.

Crickets: Stimulate looking instincts, top protein content material.

Mealworms and Superworms: Convenient, protein-wealthy, however relatively high in fat.

Earthworms: Highly nutritious while gut-loaded with exceptional nutrition.

Small Fish: Guppies, rosy pink minnows (steer clear of overfeeding goldfish owing to prime fat content).

Grasshoppers: Low fats, prime protein preference for adults.

Frozen Foods

Frozen marketplace shrimp, krill, fish fillets, and bloodworms furnish convenience with tremendous nutritional fee. Thaw utterly in the past feeding and cast off any uneaten pieces at once.

Feeding Schedule and Portions

Age and size figure feeding frequency. According to hygger’s nutritional analysis, juveniles desire extra normal ingredients to reinforce quick enlargement:

Juvenile Arowanas (Under three hundred and sixty five days):

Feed 2-3 occasions day by day

Small quantities consumed within 2-3 minutes

Focus on improvement-supporting ingredients

Adult Arowanas (Over twelve months):

Feed as soon as day to day or each and every other day

Larger quantities ate up inside of five minutes

Consider occasional fasting days

Overfeeding reasons more disorders than underfeeding. Obesity, swim bladder themes, and water pleasant degradation all stem from extreme feeding. Monitor your fish’s body circumstance and alter for this reason.

Foods to Avoid or Limit

While arowanas consume basically some thing, exact ingredients require caution:

Goldfish: High fats content makes them unsuitable as staples

Mammalian meat: Difficult to digest, can motive bloating

Fatty insects: Limit waxworms and different excessive-fats techniques

Sharp-edged ingredients: Remove shrimp head gear to stop intestinal harm

Common Health Issues and Disease Prevention

Preventive Care Fundamentals

Prevention beats healing anytime. Health investigation documented by way of hygger suggests that maximum arowana diseases stem from bad water exceptional, tension, or dietary deficiencies.

Prevention Strategies:

Maintain pristine water circumstances

Quarantine new tank buddies for 2-3 weeks

Provide distinct, nutritious food plan

Minimize handling and surprising environmental differences

Use best filtration systems

Perform universal water testing

White Spot Disease (Ich)

Perhaps the such a lot ordinary parasitic illness, ich manifests as small white spots throughout the body and fins. Fish contaminated with ich commonly scratch in opposition t tank surfaces and demonstrate reduced appetite.

Treatment Protocol:

Gradually elevate temperature to 28-30°C (if species tolerates)

Add ich remedy (malachite green or copper-based healing procedures)

Increase aeration

Perform 25% water alterations each 2-3 days

Continue treatment for complete cycle (10-14 days)

Bacterial Infections

Bacterial infections manifest as fin rot, body lesions, discolouration, or lethargy. According to fishkeeping learn, bad water nice promptly triggers those stipulations.

Treatment Approach:

Improve water first-rate directly

Add aquarium salt (1%)

Administer vast-spectrum antibiotics if valuable

Increase oxygen degrees

Remove sharp decorations that will lead to damage

Dropsy and Swim Bladder Issues

Overfeeding represents the commonly used purpose of swim bladder concerns. Fish plagued by those circumstances struggle with buoyancy, floating abnormally or sinking.

Management Steps:

Fast the fish for 48-seventy two hours

Feed cooked, peeled peas to support digestion

Add small quantity of aquarium salt

Maintain strong water parameters

Resume feeding with smaller portions

Droopy Eye (Drop Eye)

Controversial and frustrating, droopy eye factors aesthetic concerns yet infrequently impacts wellbeing and fitness straight away. Research shows that fat accumulation behind the attention, combined with environmental motives, contributes to this condition.

Prevention Methods:

Avoid overfeeding fatty foods

Use centralized exact lighting fixtures

Cover tank aspects to forestall downward observing

Feed floating ingredients to encourage upward orientation

Maintain top-quality water best

Gill Curl

Small tank size, deficient oxygen tiers, and suboptimal water stipulations trigger gill covers to curve outward. This circumstance impacts respiration and visual appeal.

Correction Approach:

Transfer to thoroughly sized tank

Increase oxygen degrees significantly

Maintain secure water parameters

Consider surgery simply as ultimate lodge (hardly ever a hit)

Compatible Tank Mates and Social Dynamics

Adult Arowana Behaviour

Wikipedia’s documentation confirms that grownup arowanas show off solitary and territorial behaviour. Keeping distinctive adults jointly traditionally outcome in aggression, stress, and practicable injury.

Selecting Compatible Species

If you choose to space tank buddies along with your arowana, stick with those instructional materials:

Suitable Companions:

Large Plecos: Stay near bottom, lend a hand with algae

Large Catfish: Bottom dwellers that preclude arowana territory

Datnoides: Similar size, diverse water column

Oscars: If right sized, can coexist

Freshwater Stingrays: Remain on bottom substrate

Species to Avoid:

Any fish small enough to consume

Surface-home species (compete for territory)

Aggressive species of similar shape

Slow-shifting fancy goldfish

Neon or small tetras

Carefully observe interactions while introducing new fish. Remove any species exhibiting indications of rigidity or aggression inside 24-48 hours. At Arowanaz, we stock a considerable number of well matched species that paintings good in arowana setups.

Water Maintenance and Tank Upkeep

Weekly Maintenance Schedule

Monday: Test water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH)

Wednesday: Perform 25% water difference, vacuum substrate

Friday: Check filter go with the flow price, easy pre-filters if mandatory

Sunday: Inspect fish for future health things, try temperature

Monthly Deep Maintenance

Once per thirty days, conduct extra thorough maintenance:

Clean filter media (never suddenly)

Test and calibrate system

Inspect heaters and thermometers

Check for tools wear or malfunction

Examine tank seals and architecture

Water Change Technique

Match temperature and pH of substitute water to tank water. Treat with dechlorinator beforehand including. Pour slowly to avert startling your fish. Some keepers use Python water changers or identical platforms that simplify substantial water modifications.

the preferrred splendid purple arowana c

Arowana Varieties and Species-Specific Care

Silver Arowana

The silver arowana represents the most on hand species for keeping. Native to South American river systems, they develop instantly and reach lengths exceeding three ft. Their metal silver scales and immense scales create unbelievable visual allure.

Care Specifics:

Temperature: seventy five-eighty two°F

pH: 6.zero-7.0

Tank size: 250+ gallons for adults

Growth charge: Extremely fast (2 inches month-to-month while younger)

Asian Arowana

Asian arowana command top class fees caused by their amazing shade and cultural importance. Red, golden, and efficient varieties exist, each and every with targeted care necessities.

Notable Varieties:

Super Red Arowana

Malaysian Red Arowana

Chili Red Arowana

Platinum Arowana

24K Golden Arowana

Australian Varieties

Jardini arowana and Leichardti arowana from Australia tutor more competitive developments. They’re hardy fish yet require solitary housing as soon as mature. Learn more about jardini arowana care and expansion expectancies.

Equipment Recommendations

Heaters

Use reputable, adjustable warmers rated in your tank amount. We suggest:

Titanium warmers for massive tanks (well-nigh indestructible)

Two smaller warmers in preference to one widespread unit (redundancy)

External temperature controllers for precision

Water Testing Equipment

API Master Test Kit (comprehensive)

Digital pH meter (accuracy)

TDS meter (dissolved solids tracking)

Thermometers (multiple areas)

Filtration Components

Quality things drastically. Proper tank setup requires funding in riskless methods. Consider FX6 canister filters, Eheim pro sequence, or customized sump systems.

Acclimation and Introduction

Bringing Your Arowana Home

When you acquire an arowana, appropriate acclimation prevents surprise and disease. Our transport manner guarantees fish arrive natural and organic, yet acclimation stays obligatory.

Acclimation Steps:

Float sealed bag in tank for 15-20 minutes (temperature equalization)

Open bag, upload 1/four cup tank water

Wait 10 mins, upload an alternative 1/four cup

Repeat approach for 45-60 mins general

Gently web fish into tank (don’t upload bag water)

Dim lights for first 24 hours

Monitor intently for tension signals

First Week Care

Stress phases top all the way through preliminary days. Minimize game round the tank, safeguard solid conditions, and offer small quantities in their prevalent ingredients. Some arowanas refuse nutrition for two-three days after transferring. This behaviour falls inside familiar differ except accompanied with the aid of other signs.

Advanced Considerations

Breeding Arowana

Arowana breeding in home aquariums provides meaningful challenges. These fish require widespread areas, selected stipulations, and years to achieve sexual maturity (three-4 years minimum).

Males practice mouthbrooding, wearing fertilized eggs and fry of their mouths for up to two months. Commercial breeding operations use widespread ponds instead of tanks. For so much keepers, breeding is still impractical.

Colour Enhancement

Colour genetics play the well-known function, however eating regimen and setting impact pigmentation. What impacts their shiny hues incorporates:

Diet: Prawns, krill, and color-bettering pellets

Lighting: Specialized tanning lighting fixtures for reds and golds

Water chemistry: Soft, acidic water enhances shades

Stress tiers: Chronic stress dulls color

Arowana Legalities and Regulations Asian arowanas face prison restrictions in many countries by using endangered fame. However, different sorts continue to be felony. Research neighborhood policies beforehand paying for. Understand what arowana fish are and their conservation reputation.