Tankmates For Asian Arowana

[G_Sharky]

Hi guys, I'm currently liquidating all my african cichlid collection and dipping into the asian arowana craziness....My biggest tank is currently a 75 gallon tank 48x18x21, but would be upgrading in 2 years when I move into my house....However I have some fish that I'm not going to sell and would keep as long as they live...they are my 2 frontosa about 4" big, 3 clown loaches about 5" big, 2.5" geophagus, 2 calvus, rhyno pleco and a leopard pleco. I'm planning on getting either a green arowana or a jardini?? the reason is that I've never kept arowanas before and I dont wanna spend big bucks and lose it due to some stupid mistake..I'm also planning on putting sand for substrate and some lava rocks on the bottom...Can anybody who keeps arowana give me some advice on feeding, maintenance and how to keep this beautiful fish looking beautiful...thanks....

 

[CFC]

Firstly jardini are not Asian arowanas, only varients of the Scleropages formosus complex (greens, redtailed golds, golds and reds) are from Asia with the other two Scleropages species S.jardini and S.leichardtii coming from Australia.

Jardini and leichardtii are very aggressive and in most cases will end up having to be kept as a solitary specimin once they are large mature adults, once they are over a foot in length they become relentless bullies and are capable of inflicting serious injuries on their targets. Asians are less aggressive than the Australian species but should not be kept with fish that are less than 5 inches in length, aggressive fish like some Cichlids should also be avoided in case they damage the arowana.

Arowana grow fast, before even buying one you should have at the very least a 5x2x2 tank and aiming for a bare minimum of a 6x2x2 for the adult fish, though even this will be cramped for a fish that will be 20 inches or more in length within 2 to 3 years.

Arowana are easy to keep as long as the water quality is good and you feed them a varied diet, once trained they will accept all manner of frozen meaty foods such as cockles, mussels, prawns and small fish as well as ;ive foods like earthworms and crickets, ring the changes with the feeding and you will have a healthy well coloured arowana.

 

[G_Sharky]

thanks for the info CFC....I'm looking at a 4" green arowana right now....what's the going rate for these guys...I didn't ask how much it was, but I was looking at a 4" redtail gold and it was $600 canadian....Are greens cheaper that the RTG???

 

[cane76]

here in the uk greens are about £100 and RTG,s are about £350

 

[khenghock]

Hi..

Just thought I'd share the going rates for some of the arowanas that I've seen around LFSes. I haven't seen a green aro before, but 3 inch yellow tails are selling for around RM 120 (£18?) and 1 n half back for around rm 300-400. Hi backs are selling for rm 900 for 4-5 inch fishes.. and they keep quite a few in a same tank!! 2-inch jardinis are selling for rm 28....

The rates of arowanas, and other fish/aquarium equipment are rather cheap here, which I am most grateful for. But sadly, proper aquarium knowledge is kinda lacking here (but picking up!), as there are many people here who still have not even heard about nitrates, etc. If it was not for this forum, I would have been out of the dark too. Thankfully, an LFS has started to distribute pamphlets to customers about the nitrogen cycle.

This post was in no way meant to offend anyone. And if I did, I'm truly sorry.
Just thought I'd share this.

 

[steve_m]

I know CFC knows his stuff (to the point where reading his posts is like reading a book) But 6x2x2 for an adult aro is way 2 small in my opinion. For short periods of time "fine" but for long tern its like keeping a tiger in a kennel.
Also take into account the varied diet (very important)

Steve

 

[CFC]

It really depends on the species and the strain, Scleropages arowana's (Asians and Australians) rarely grow much past 20 inches in captivity with only the more expensive strains of the Asian species growing a bit larger than that so a 6x2x2 foot aquarium is just about adequate for an adult fish, in Asia many expert arowana keepers keep their fish in tanks even smaller than that! Of course as with any animal you should provide them with the largest enclosure you can fit and afford, but as a starting point a 6x2x2 will get you by and is certainly better than squeezing the fish into a 75 or 120 gallon tank.

 

[khenghock]

It really depends on the species and the strain, Scleropages arowana's (Asians and Australians) rarely grow much past 20 inches in captivity with only the more expensive strains of the Asian species growing a bit larger than that so a 6x2x2 foot aquarium is just about adequate for an adult fish, in Asia many expert arowana keepers keep their fish in tanks even smaller than that! Of course as with any animal you should provide them with the largest enclosure you can fit and afford, but as a starting point a 6x2x2 will get you by and is certainly better than squeezing the fish into a 75 or 120 gallon tank.

I'll have to agree with CFC on this. In my somewhat limited experience, I've seen people keep arowanas at 5 x 2 x 2 feet tanks, and was even told that it's adequate. But there are also 6 feet tanks as well as longer ones.
I would also like to say that although some of them are in 5 feet tanks, they're been taken care of very well. It's very common for arowanas to be fed centipedes, frogs around here; and great care is taken to ensure that the arowana does not get frightened. I've seen an LFS owner reprimand a staff for wiping the glass of an arowana tank, and it;s only a yellow tail.

But the best is still to house an arowana to the biggest tank one can afford. I'm itching for an arowana, but will not buy until i get my 6 feet tank; or even 7.