| Arowanas |
| One of the things that makes arowanas so special (besides their beauty) is that they have a very close link to prehistoric creatures. There are several types including silver, asian, and australian. My boyfriend and I have kept silver and australian ones. Since all types of arowanas have basically the same needs this information will be helpful no matter what type of arowana you own : ) |
| Housing |
| Arowanas are very large fish, growing up to 3 feet in length! Because of their size, they require a large tank. The length of the tank should be 3xs the arowana's length, and the width of the tank should be 2xs the arowana's length. You can start an arowana in a small tank, but remember, BIGGER IS BETTER! We had bought some baby arowanas a while back, and we kept one in a 10 gallon tank and the others in a 55 gallon tank. Well, after only a couple weeks there was a very noticable difference in size. The ones in the bigger tank were much larger than the one in the small tank. So the moral of the story is.. if you want a big healthy fish, give it plenty of room to grow : ) Gravel should be used in almost every tank situation. It reduces reflections which can stress the fish, and for arowanas it prevents drop-eye. Avoid sand and clay-type materials, because they can get in the arowanas gills. This causes the arowana to "cough". Plants can be used, but arowanas like lots of swimming room. The plants can also get in the way and even cause injury. So in this case, less is better. Make sure you have a good cover for your tank. Arowanas are excellent jumpers! The number 1 cause of death among arowanas is jumping out of the tank = 0 One of the most important things to remember when keeping arowanas is not to house them with other fish. My boyfriend didn't believe this until we had major losses and casualties from keeping goldfish with arowanas : ((( Don't learn the hard way, take it from me. You also don't want to keep arowanas in groups of 2, 3, or 4 - especially in 2s! Arowanas are extremely agressive fish. It is only when they are in groups of 5 or 6 that they can live together peacefully. You also want to make sure that they are all the same size. Bigger arowanas will take food from the smaller ones, causing the smaller ones to starve : ( You also want to watch the fish VERY CAREFULLY. Keep a look out for bullies, and have a tank divider or extra tank ready in case of emergencies. If you are going to house a group of arowanas it's good to start when they are young, so they can get a chance to bond. Don't try to add another arowana to a tank that has kept an arowana/s for a while. Arowanas are also territorial, so adding a new guy is a recipe for disaster!!! |
| Feeding |
| Arowanas are carnivors, meaning they eat meat. They love to eat live food, but as with any sort of live food there is a danger of carrying disease. Arowanas are pretty resiliant, heck they survived thousands of years of evolution. As long as you buy live food from a reputable dealer, quarentine the food, and NEVER use animals from the wild your arowana should be fine. I know some people say they feed their arowana anything that will fit in it's mouth, but I choose to err on the side of caution. If you feed your arowana dried, or freeze dried food, it's best to soak it before feeding it to your arowana. This is especially important for baby arowanas. Here is a list of some good foods: Crickets- very nutritious, but make sure to take off the hard shell for baby arowanas Small fish- also called feeder fish. Some common goldfish/feeders are very high in fat, so use sparingly! Obese arowanas don't live as long-just like people! lol also, never put all the feeder fish in at once! I know someone who did this and his arowana died within a few days : ((( Crustaceans/prawns/shrimp- will enhance color. live or freeze dried, but avoid frozen prawns- they may lead to liver problems. Removing the hard head is recommended, especially for baby arowanas Krill- crush and soak to soften the shell for baby As Bloodworms- mostly for baby As, but we couldn't get ours to eat them, probably b/c of the size. Our babies liked to eat the biggest things they could fit in their mouths! Tubifex worms- should be avoided, most come from contaminated sources Mealworms- healthy and nutrious. Avoid feeding to baby As b/c of hard shell Earthworms- vary healthy and nutritious- they don't have a big risk of contamination and are highly recommended by the pros Pellets/stick food- we've never had much luck getting our As to eat them Amphibian frogs- very nutritious. Make sure they aren't poisonous, though! Quarentine them before hand and never feed a dead one to an arowana Lizards/geckos- kinda expensive, but arowanas love them. Make sure you quarentine them! |
| Care |
| Arowanas have a few requirements in order to be in primo conditon : ) They need a temperature between 72F- 82F. I've noticed they do best in the high 70s. I would recommend a heater, even if you live in a very hot environment a heater will help to regulate the temp and keep in constant. When it comes to water cleanliness, the usual rules apply. Make sure the tank is cycled and try to keep ammonia and nitrite levels at 0. Arowanas are more fogiving of ammonia and nitrites, though. Don't do more than a 30% water change, because that will stress out your arowana. Give them enough light, and don't keep the light on all night. Fish need their sleep to! PH levels should be around 7, and slightly acidic. |