Lecture Notes: 10 Things You Should Know About Silver Arowanas

Introduction

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Silver Arowanas Overview

• Personal Interest: Silver arowanas sparked the speaker's interest in fish keeping in 1993.
• Comparison with Asian Arowanas:
  • Similar appearance but Asian arowanas come in various colors.
  • Asian arowanas are illegal in the U.S., protected under a treaty since 1975.
  • Available in Canada and some other countries.

Characteristics of Arowanas

• Appearance:
  • Unique shape with a large mouth.
  • Graceful swimmers.
• Size:
  • Can grow an inch per month; up to four feet in the wild.
  • Require a large tank (minimum eight feet long) in captivity.
• Nickname: "Water Monkey" due to their jumping ability.

Care Requirements

• Jumping Behavior:
  • Known for jumping out of tanks.
  • Secure, heavy lids are necessary.
• Breeding:
  • Fraternal mouth brooders: males carry eggs.
  • Stripping fry from male's mouth is challenging due to strength.
• Diet:
  • Carnivorous, prefer high-protein diets (shrimp, fish, worms).
  • Options include store-bought food and frozen shrimp.
  • Variety in diet recommended.
• Water Parameters:
  • Tropical fish, prefer 78°F.
  • Neutral pH (around 7) with consistency.
  • Clean water is essential due to large food intake and waste.

Tank Mates and Environment

• Tank Mates:
  • Avoid fish that fit in arowana's mouth.
  • Ideal mates are large fish that swim mid-lower range.
  • Successful combinations include stingrays, Oscars, and more.
• Origin:
  • Originate from the Amazon River but many are captive-bred.

Additional Considerations

• Physical Features:
  • Bony-tongued fish with teeth on their tongue.
  • Have distinguishing barbels.
• Common Issues:
  • Drop-eye: non-life-threatening but unsightly.
  • Prevent by feeding floating foods and reducing below-tank stimuli.

Varieties of Arowanas

• Types Available:
  • Jardini: shorter, stout; can be aggressive.
  • Black and Blue Varieties: different coloring when young.
  • Albino and Platinum Arowanas: rare and expensive.

Conclusion

• Enthusiasm for silver arowanas as a key part of the aquarium hobby.
• Encouragement to consider tank size and care requirements when keeping these fish.