Arowana are bony, freshwater fish also referred to as dragon fish or monkey fish. They are indigenous to South America, Asia, Africa and Australia too and are prized possessions in the fish keeping industry. Not typically a good choice for the novice aquarist, adding any kind of arowana to your tank requires several considerations. We’ve compiled a small list of care points for those looking to purchasing an arowana for their home aquarium. Our guide below are the basics necessities for keeping a silver or Jardini Arowana in your home. 

Arowna Behavior and Size

As large fish, some arowana can be quite aggressive and require plenty of tank space to mimic their natural habitat. If they are placed in an aquarium that’s too small, they will jump out and can easily injure themselves. A juvenile arowana can be raised in a 60 gallon tank, while a full size arowana requires at least 150 gallons depending on the species. With proper diet and well-kept water parameters, Arowana  lifespan can range from 15 to 40+ years. 

Water Conditions

Tolerant to changing conditions, you should aim to maintain your water temperature around 72-82ºF  with pH levels of 6.5-7.5. We recommend that you change 25% of your water weekly and be sure you have strong and efficient filtration to maintain water quality. Since they are more sensitive to changes in Nitrite levels, we recommend testing the water quality levels regularly, ensuring it is as close to zero as possible. Freshwater aquarium salt can be assed to support the fish’s gill health, maintaining a specific gravity kept at 1.004.

Tank Location & Population

As predator fish, arowanas should not be housed with other aggressive breeds. Adults arowanas thrive in a solitary tank.  To ensure the safety of your fish population, pair an arowana with peaceful fish that are large enough to avoid presenting themselves as food. Several good bottom dwellers include catfish, and larger Plecostomus. You’ll also want to consider keeping their tank in a low traffic area of your home. Due to an arowana’s skittish nature, they need plenty of space without sudden movements or bright lights. 

Arowana Diet

As carnivores, you’ll like to offer your arowana a mix of foods in addition to a high quality formulated diet including small fish and crustaceans. For a special treat, be sure to offer variety including larger insects, smaller snakes and the occasional frog. A nutritious diet consists of floating pellets or sticks, such as the Hikari® Food Sticks™ or Jumbo CarniSticks®,  and live, frozen or freeze-dried fish, insects, worms and shrimp. Krill, BloodWorms, and Jumbo Shrimp are excellent sources of protein for aquarium fish. 

At ®Hikari, we offer a variety of highly developed tropical diets quickly devoured by even the most finicky eaters. Learn more about our Species Specific™ diets on our website.