Osteoglossum bicirrhosum

Common Names:

Silver Arowana

Synonyms:

Ischnosoma bicirrhosum

Family:

Osteoglossidae

Category:

OthersFW

Distribution:

America - South; Amazon Basin, South America.

Main Ecosystem:

River; River

Temperament:

Predatory; Predatory towards small surface fish. Otherwise relatively peaceful for a large fish.

Diet:

Carnivore; Carnivore

Care:

Feeds on small fish and insects. If conditioned, the Arowana will eat pellets, but prefer live foods. Nightcrawlers and red worms, are an excellent food source that most arowana will relish. Small specimens will eat mosquito larvae, blood worms, plankton, small feeder fry, brine shrimp, and most anything natural they can fit into their mouths. Dark gravel in a aquarium with a very large surface area is recommended. These fish spook very easily and require lower light conditions and da

pH:

6 - 6.8

Temperature:

24°C - 30°C

75°F - 86°F

Hardness:

5 dH - 15 dH

Potential Size:

Male: 120cm (47.2")
Female: 120cm (47.2")

Water Region:

Surface; Surface

Activity:

Diurnal; Diurnal

Gender:

Mature males have longer anal fins than mature females.

Breeding:

Breeding is possible, but two adult Arowanas require a massive aquarium. Slightly acidic, peat filtered water is essential. The male will usually keep the eggs in his mouth for up to sixty days.

Variants:

Comments:

Very rare and expensive in Australia. A heavy lid must be used as the Arowana will jump. It is common for arowana species in captivity to suffer a condition known as "drop -eye" , a long term problem where lack of accurate focal distances at or above water level will cause the muscles in the eye to atrophy, eventually excluding the fish to be able to look in any direction other than downwards. This can cause the fish to become depressive and suffer feeding difficulties, and quite possibly some pain.

Bouyant objects and textures at or above water level will give the fish a target to focus on, thus alleiviating the problem. Keepers use coloured and decorated ping pong balls , or drop water levels to allow plants and branches to be hung overhead.This especially important for those keepers who rather ill-advisedly keep their fish in barren and featureless tanks.

Main Colours:

Silver

Markings:

No Markings

Mouth:

Upturned

Tail:

Convex

Search:

Image Credit:

Submitted By:

Adam

Contributors:

longhairedgit

History:

View changes to this profile

Edit Profile: