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Arowana

Silver Arowana ~ Bony-tongued Fish Family: Osteoglossidae

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Silver Arowana Osteoglossum bicirrhosum Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   First introduced in 1912, ..."The Arowana gives us a view of our ancient prehistoric world, the world during the Jurassic age. The Arowana is one of only a few living examples of this group."

   The Arowana or Silver Arowana is related to early primitive fishes and is sometimes called the "Bony-tongued Fish".

   One of the most interesting fish, the Silver Arowana gets rather large. A 47 inch specimen, although rare, will need an aquarium of at least 100 gallons just to turn around! Though they can be kept together when small, larger specimens are best kept singly or with other species of larger fish. They are a predator and will eat small fish. But on a positive note, they can become quite tame and take food from your fingers.

   These fish are excellent jumpers so make sure the top of the aquarium is covered. The Arowana will prefer an aquarium with a fine gravel bottom planted loosely with hardy plants and open areas on the top to swim.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Status:
   The species is not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:
   The Silver Arowana is a long fish with lithe fluid swimming motion that makes it seems almost snakelike. It has large opalescent scales that reflect blue, red, and green highlights as the fish grows older. The mouth is at the top of the body and opens in three pieces.

Size - Weight:
   These fish get up to 47 inches (117 cm). Usually they are much smaller in aquariums, with 24 to 30 inches being a good sized Arowana.

Care and feeding:
   Since they are carnivores, the Silver Arowana will generally eat all kinds of live foods. Sometimes they will accept large flakes or pellets which is desirable in order to give them a balanced nutrition.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish will swim in the top of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Hardness: 8-12° dGH
   Ph: 6.5 to 7.0
   Temp: (75-86° F) 24-30° C

Social Behaviors:
   They are generally not a good community fish. Only small specimens can be kept together and with other fish. As they get older their size and the fact that they eat other fish makes them unsuitable for any but the largest of tankmates.

Sexual Differences:
   The male is more slender and has a longer anal fin.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Water parameters for breeding the Arowana or Bony-tongued Fish are the same as for general maintenance above.

Buy Silver Arowama From LiveAquaria.com

Feed large amounts of live food to induce spawning. The eggs are up to 1/2 inch in diameter. The male will brood them in his mouth. After 50-60 days the eggs will develop and produce fry which have and obvious eggsak. They are 3-4 inches long before this is gone and they will feed entirely on their own.

Availability:
   The Arowana or Silver Arowana is available from time to time.

Author: David Brough

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I have one 12" silver arowana, two 8.5" black ghost knifes, one 4" gold nugget pleco, one 13" rope fish, one 5" tiger shovelnose x redtail catfish hybrid (which will be in a 6x8ft indoor pond soon). All in a 200 gallon tank 72"x24"x24" with .5" glass top 5/8", so it is 200 not 180 gallons. This is a minimum for one aro. The tank needs to be atleast as wide as the fish is long and two or three times the fishes length. Silver aro's top out at three feet in most tanks, so the bigger the better. They also need a 75% water change atleast once a week to mantain the water quality they need to live. That makes this type of fish not for a novice, but a fantastic fish if you can house and feed it! I bought my aro at 3" and in two months it was 1 foot long and still not slowing. They are supposed to start to slow in the one to two foot range I've heard. Best of luck. Scott 2009-06-01
Aro's are jumpers, a good strong top is not an option but a requirment. I was a gambling man and didn't have a top for the first two months, then it was on the floor. After about 8 min. on the floor I found it, I thought it was dead. The eye was dry and white and all the fins were in various stages of drying. I put it back in and it came to life. That day I put and taped on a plexy glass top. After three weeks the only thing wrong with it now is that it is shy and has dropeye in both eyes (not real bad), but that is all. Scott 2009-06-01
Silver arowana grow very quickly, a 10" silver will be 24" within 12 to 18 months. A 3' x 1' x 1' tank is way too small, it is best to wait and provide a proper sized tank. MonsterFishKeepers.com 2008-03-16
I heard about a golden arowana in our town on Balinsasayaw Lake in Sibulan Negros Oriental Philippines. I heard it from my friends that there was a golden arowana in that lake, the arowana was 1 and 1 half feet long. A fisherman caught the arowana in maybe 1995. pagsaw 2008-03-12
I am going to purchase a silver arowana 8-10 inches within a week. I had been keeping freshwater aquariums for 5-6 months. My current aquarium size is 3*1*1. praveen 2008-02-18
Some of the coolest comments:
I'm an owner of a custom 475 gallon aquarium dimensions are 72x36x43. It is used to house a five inch Malaysian Green Crossback Arowana that was recntly purchased two months ago. This is my second arowana that I currently own my first was a Asian Red Arowana from Thailand. The Asian Red had an array of a color that was extremely attractive to the human eye. I sold him to a man that lived in east Texas for $33,000 and was the most profit that I ever made on a fish that I sold. The paramaters of the water must be Ph 7.0, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, and Nitrate 0. Temp keep at 80 F. The aquarium has an overflow box in the center which is connected to a 150 gallon sump in the bottom that houses several bio media sections which will fliter out all impurities. Diet consist of fresh bay shrimp, pellets, and on occasion pinkies. Water changes are done bi-weekly with an automated R/O system connected in the sump itself. If you like any Arowana of any species of this kind I would recommend starting out with the silver and working your way up. Lan Phan 2005-07-15
I have been reading about them and had heard stories about the bigger ones in the wild eating baby monkeys that had fallen from trees anyway they are really beutiful fish and they are truly great as a pet. Mine is 20" and I love her and my royal pleco. Laymond Leaks 2004-12-28
Comments Dr Jungle REALLY Likes to Hear!
I am very much new to arowana, i just started 3 months ago, was 23 cms when i bought him. now he is almost 33 cms. he likes all variety foods as i tried after seeing other friends comments on this site. he is very much cool in 175 ltr tank. as a rare combination, he is staying very happily with senegal. very happy to see both swimming in a tank. i am very much satisfied with both... thanks for this web site for giving more informations about all species... ramesh 2006-06-28

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Author: David Brough. CFS.