Arowana Care – Beginner’s Guide to Raising an Arowana

So, are you thinking about getting an Arowana as a pet, but have no idea where to start? Hopefully this article will be able to help you select and care for your Arowana.

First, you need to know what type of Arowana is best suited for you. The cheapest and easiest to get among the Arowana species are the Silver Arowana, these can be found at almost every aquarium supply store and can grow up to 40 inches long. Another popular species is the Black Arowana; in the wild they can grow to be as large as the Silver Arowana, but this rarely happens in captive fish. The most sought after is the Golden Arowana (or Asian Arowana); these fish are very popular in Southeast Asia, where they are believed to bring good luck, especially in business. Since the Golden Arowana is on the endangered species list, you have to be careful where you buy them; make sure they have the necessary permits and documents to import and handle these fish.

Now let’s talk about caring for your Arowana. Since these fish can grow up to 4 feet long, it is natural to house them in a large aquarium; a 100 gallon tank should suffice for young Arowanas, but as it grows and grows, consider moving it to a larger aquarium. Arowanas are active swimmers and need ample room to turn and move around in the tank. These fish have also been known to jump up to 2m high in the wild, so it is best to cover the aquarium to prevent the fish from jumping from the tank onto the living room floor. You should also invest in a good type of water filter, as these big fish leave behind a lot of waste. And also, Arowana are natural predators, so sharing a tank with other fish is a very bad idea.
As for the diet of Arowanas, these fish are mainly carnivorous, so a diet of meat and fish is recommended. Fish pellets can sometimes be used, but some species prefer their food to be alive. There are reports that some fish have been known to starve simply because they don’t like their food. They mostly like mealworms, shrimp (the freshwater kind, not saltwater shrimp), and small fish.

If cared for properly these fish can sometimes outlive their owners, just be sure to check each and every aspect of the aquarium and adjust as needed by the fish.