Arowana Fish

Arowana Fish – Tank Set Up

The silver arowana is sometimes called the dragon fish or the monkey fish. This is a type of freshwater fish which originates from south America. It Popularly known for its large size and hunting prowess making it a valuable possession for any aquarist. Though the arowana fish is not recommended for beginners, it is a great addition to an aquarium of an experienced keeper.

The arowana are known to be powerful swimmers that can sometimes be aggressive due to their predatory nature. They can grow to be 4-foot-long in size and weigh over 6kg. those raised in captivity have a long lifespan of up to 15 years. They are great hunters that make them hunt small animals in the lower branches. This type of fish has the ability to withstand short periods out of water due to its swim bladder.

General behavior for arowanas in a fish tank

Arowana fish is surprisingly skittish. It can get easily scared from unexpected sudden movements like for instance when you approach the fish tank quickly. This can be controlled by keeping the tank in a quiet place with low foot traffic to avoid them getting scared each time someone walks past the tank.

Dragon fish love swimming close to the water surface and you will notice that most of the time they will be near the surface of the water. The silver arowana is a notorious jumper and can jump up to 3 meters high. This type of behavior is usually common when the arowana is in a new aquarium or in a small tank.

A small tank can be very dangerous because the arowana will try jumping its way to freedom regardless of whether the tank is covered or not. These fish should be placed in a large tank that is suitable to accommodate the large size.
Tank requirements for the arowana fish.

The silver arowana fish will quickly outgrow beginner tanks and usually require a tank that can accommodate at least 250 gallons of water.

A Juvenile arowana can be kept in a smaller aquarium of 60 gallons but will eventually require to be moved to a bigger tank once they increase in size.

The substrate can consist of small gravel which can be fine or coarse. The fish tank should have a lot of space to allow free movement of the arowana. You can decorate the tank with sturdy plants and rockwork. Plants with weak roots can be easily dislodged by the fish.

Arowana’s are definitely unique tropical fish.