How To Care Arowana Fish || Care And Tips || For Beginner || অ্যারোয়ানা মাছ কীভাবে রাখবেন ||

How To Care Arowana Fish ।। Care And Tips।। For Beginner

In The Wild: Arowana Overview

Arowanas are a species of fish that are part of the ancient family of osteoglossidae.
This group of fish are sometimes (rather strangely) called “bony tongues” because of a toothed plate of bone that they have on the lower part of their mouth.
Inhabiting the inland waters of South America, Southeast Asia, and Australia, these fish have elongated bodies covered with large scales and a distinct pair of barbells protruding from the tip of their lower jaw.Because of their looks, arowanas are also sometimes known (especially in Asian countries) as “dragon fish” or “shui long” in Mandarin.
Folklore tells us that arowanas bring luck, since they resemble a traditional Chinese dragon. They’re highly predatory fish that you’ll often see elegantly patrolling the surface of the water.
And get this:
Arowanas can live over twenty years in captivity. That’s more than most domesticated dogs! There have even been unconfirmed reports of arowanas living to nearly FIFTY years.
With that in mind, there’s no denying that keeping an arowana is a long-term commitment.
Probably the most sought-after and popular freshwater monster fish in the world, the arowana even makes an appearance in literature and is cited as “the world’s most coveted fish” in the book The Dragon Behind the Glass by Emily Voigt.

What Kind Of Substrate Is Best For Arowana?

The choice of whether or not to use a substrate is a matter of preference for arowana keepers.
It could either increase or decrease the contrast of colors within your tank, which in turn either enhances or diminishes the natural beauty of your arowana.
I’d recommend that you veer away from substrate since such tanks are generally harder to clean. Likewise, having substrate may lead to organic waste building up and causing problems in the long run.

Do I Need Plants And Decorations

More often than not, plants and decorations are not necessary for arowanas, since the fish themselves could very well serve as the decoration.
They’re just that darn beautiful.
Moreover, plants and decorations are not really ideal because the sheer size of these fish means that they’re going to need all the space they can get. Plus, sharp decorations can also end up causing injury to your fish.
If you really want to, you can always choose to place some floating plants in the tank to deter the arowanas from jumping out (just keep in mind that having plants alone will not stop your arowana from jumping outside of the tank. Remember the lid thing!).

What Lighting Do I Need?

Lighting is essential when it comes to maximizing the beauty of your arowana. There are two kinds of lighting fixtures you’ll want to look at before purchasing your first arowana:
First is the viewing light, which is a key piece of kit for every species of arowana.
Second, is the tanning light which is often used to intensify the colors specifically on gold or red arowanas. For red arowanas, some prefer to use pink or purple lights to really accent the red color.
While the topic of using tanning lights being humane or not is always up for debate, it’s a widely accepted truth that the use of these lights does indeed enhance the natural coloration of both the gold and red arowanas.
If you really want to maximize the coloration of your gold or red arowana to its utmost potential, then I would advise you to use tanning lights.
This is because a red arowana, without proper grooming and care, would only be orange colored at best- leading some hobbyists to feel disappointed with their fish.
Pro Tip: Direct sunlight also helps improve fish coloration.
For viewing lights, all species of arowanas prefer having a nice light over them, since they’re sight feeders without any other special abilities to detect prey.
I’d recommend that you use LED energy saving lights that are tailored specifically for the type of arowana you have- especially if you’re keeping the red and/or golden arowana. LEDs are very powerful, efficient, and last longer than other kind of lights.
Ideal Water Parameters For Arowana

Water parameters should be monitored regularly by using commercially available water test kits.
As a rule of thumb:
Ammonia (NH4): Should be kept at absolutely 0 ppm
Nitrites (NO3): Should be kept at absolutely 0 ppm
Nitrates (NO4): Should be kept below 40 ppm
In terms of temperature:
Arowanas are tropical fish, so they should be kept in water around 30° Celsius (or 86° Fahrenheit). However, Australian arowanas are known to be able to thrive in cooler temperatures.
As for the water hardness:
Most arowanas are already bred in captive, so they’re able to tolerate a wider range of water hardness. However, they do best with water hardness levels of 6.0-7.0 Ph.
How Much Filtration Do Arowana Need?

Newsflash: big fish produce big waste!
Arowanas need to consume high-protein food to cope with their rapid growth- and to satisfy their big appetites.

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