The Silver Arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) often sits at the top of the heap when it comes to the ultimate fish to keep for those with extensive experience in the hobby. You pretty much know you’ve arrived and are in a league with the big guns at this stage if acquiring one is on the agenda.
So we should fairly point out here that this is not a fish for anyone without said experience or who isn’t fully capable of their extraordinary requirements (and financial commitments that go along with them).
That being said, everyone wants to learn about these fish because we can all dream, can’t we?
What makes this predatory South American ‘Silver Arrow’ so desirable? What makes them so tricky to manage? And who thought that alternative names for this fish should include Dragon Fish and Monkey Fish were appropriate?
It might be because they are quite aggressive, powerful jumpers who can grow up to 4 feet long with looks from a bygone era. They come from the South American River Basin, where their predatory jump helps them hunt above water.
Sometimes they get confused with the Asian Arowana, which is illegal to own in the USA (check-in your country) as they are endangered in their natural habitat. But Silver Arowanas are generally legal to own in most places.
If the Silver Arowana is your fish keeping Mount Everest, the pinnacle you’ve been aiming for, the number one species to keep on your list after gaining a wealth of experience over many, many years, this is where you read on to find out what you’re getting into.
For the newbies out there, take a peek at what may become your ultimate goal someday down the line.
Silver Arowana Behavior
Part of wanting one of these fish may be the machismo associated with it. Silver Arowanas are highly aggressive fish, so being able to regale your friends and visitors with tales of what this fish is capable of while being kept in your capable hands may have something to do with its attraction.
Despite their aggressive nature towards other fish, they do have a jittery side in captivity. They do not like surprises and will usually reel away from sudden movements near the tank or sudden lighting changes.
Their startling reactions can stress this fish out, so their colossal tanks need to be kept in a low-traffic area. This is not always easy when you have a prized fish in a showstopping tank often located for high visibility.
Silver Arowanas will spend the majority of their time in the upper echelons of your tank, which adds to the problem of their habit of jumping. And these fish can jump up to 3 meters high.
This kind of jumping activity can normally occur as they are adjusting to a new environment or if they have been placed in a tank too small or that they have outgrown.
If it’s a case of tank size and not new surroundings, they will repeatedly try to escape their less than adequate dwelling leading to jumping even with a sturdy fixed lid on and ultimately injury.
As youngsters, the Silver Arowana can be bullied by more aggressive species, including mature specimens of their own kind. During this stage, they should be kept in a group of six or more.
But that grouping really can’t last forever unless you plan on relocating them to a large natural pond or a super tank that can approximate one. As adults, they are usually kept on their own due to their predatory nature and less than friendly attitudes towards one another once they mature.
For this reason, those who can house a single one usually buys them as an adult and not a group of juveniles, and this will be reflected in their price.
Silver Arowana Lifespan
If you cater to the needs of your Silver Arowanas, you could expect them to live for, on average, around 10 – 15 years, which is a considerable amount of time to invest in a hobby. You must be sure you have ample space and the capacity to care for them that length of time.
We will discuss more on their exceptional tank requirements a little later in this article.
Silver Arowana Appearance
For a large fish, the Silver Arowana is sleek and slinky.
Covered in large scales that are bluish when juvenile but then take on a more silvery hue as they mature, they are hard to miss due to the sheer size of the scales themselves.
Their bottom lip juts up nearly vertically abruptly from the lower jaw, which houses teeth on all the interior mouth surfaces, including their tongue. This means when they bite, it has an action like a drawbridge, and nothing is likely to escape the plethora of teeth within.
Two fine barbels help them locate prey when hunting and perch on the lower lip right at the top, where it meets the roof of the upper jawline. This is what gives them their Dragonfish moniker, so we’ve answered one mystery.
Further along the body of this behemoth, you’ll see a shortish dorsal fin that almost seamlessly blends into the caudal fin, and the same can be said about the anal fin also. This gives this fish its prehistoric appearance and menacing predatory looks when coupled with that aggressive-looking jaw.
Other colors besides silver are possible to find in the hobby like black, red, spotted, and far more rarely the highly prized (and highly-priced) platinum and white.
Silver Arowana Habitat And Tank Requirements
As always, we want to achieve optimum health for fish we keep in captivity by closely mimicking their natural habitat. Their wild origins are the swiftly flowing river waters of South America in the Amazon River Basin.
Let’s look at some specifics that are needed to provide these epic fish with a great quality of life that best suits them for optimum health.
Silver Arowana Tank Conditions
First and foremost, you have to have a sturdy tank lid that can withstand high impact, and that can have several feet of gap between the water surface and lid.
The substrate should be sandy. Anything sharp should be avoided as their scales loosen with age.
They must have wide-reaching open swimming to satisfy their powerful swim action and their hunting instincts.
Avoid dense vegetation and employ only carpet type or short stature plants to add interest.
Driftwood that is smooth can be placed in leaning formations which Arowanas find stimulating as that is where they hunt in the wild and can often be seen leaping around fallen branches from the fallen overhanging trees to catch even land prey!
Filtration needs to be powerful as they enjoy a strong current, and using air curtains is ideal for adding aeration all around the tank in a horizontal alignment to keep that current flow moving to their liking.
Water changes need to be weekly or bi-weekly and at least 25% changed over for optimum water quality.
Water conditions should be noted and maintained as follows:
- pH of 6.5 – 7.5
- Water hardness: Medium to Hard
- Temperature between 75 – 82ºF (24 – 28ºC)
- Lighting conditions are ideally bright
Silver Arowana Tank Size
The minimum tank size for an adult Silver Arowana is 500 gallons, but ideally, you will want 1000 gallons for its happiest life as well as accommodating other species within.
Realistically, a 1000 gallon tank will house enough fish to keep them from getting stressed or a massive outdoor pond with a heater for locations that get slightly cooler outside of the warmer months.
In terms of shape, it has to be really deep to the tune of at least 4-6 feet around the entire tank.
Choosing Tank Mates For Silver Arowanas
Having a Silver Arowana is an exceptional achievement if you can afford the space, tank size, and maintenance needed to keep them happy.
When it comes to finding species to mix in with your Silver Arowanas, you have some limited options.
You will want to keep sizes of tank mates relative, nothing too small, or your Silver Arowana will consume them. They are excellent hunters and will take advantage of anything that fits into their mouths.
A key point to note here is the Arowana should always be introduced into the tank or pond first.
Some successful tank mate pairings that might work well include:
- Oscars
- Green Terrors
- Large Plecostomus
- Parrot Cichlids
- Angelfish
- Catfish
- Knifefish
- Silver Dollar Fish
- Bichir
- Jaguar Cichlid
Avoid invertebrates like shrimp and snails and other crustaceans like crabs as tank cleaners unless you are providing them as a live (quarantined) food supply, as your Silver Arowanas will inevitably consider them a meal, and you’ll notice them disappear.
How To Feed Silver Arowanas
Silver Arowanas are predominantly carnivores and will enjoy a balanced diet of proteins to remain healthy. Some plant-based matter can factor into their diet, but it should not be a principal food base.
They will need a mixture of the usual live and frozen food sources and do well with feeder fish to really bring out their hunting personality.
Flaked or pellet foods are not good for Silver Arowanas as they are rarely accepted but this fish. No, they want real meaty options instead.
Include Bloodworms, Brine Shrimp, Crickets, Earthworms, Crabs, and all manner of appropriately sized foods. Be advised that in the wild, they have been known to catch frogs and even rabbits when the mood strikes.
If you choose to try using live feeder fish, crustaceans or shrimp, ensure they are appropriately quarantined before adding them to the main tank as prey for your happy hunters.
Silver Arowana Common Health Issues
Most freshwater fish are susceptible to some diseases, and Silver Arowanas are no exception. In fact, they tend to pick up physical injuries because of their jumping behaviors in addition to the usual freshwater bacterial and fungal suspects.
Ich (White Spot Disease), which, as the name implies, is easily distinguished by white spots on the body due to a parasitic infection. You will often see your fish rubbing themselves onto decor in order to rid themselves of some of the discomforts from the parasite.
There are, however, commercial treatments available to help treat Ich. If you see any Ich developing, you should treat the whole tank and quickly as it’s contagious, and it would be impossible to have a quarantine tank for the size and space this fish needs.
Other conditions like Fin Rot and other parasitic infections are typical things to keep an eye out for.
Normally when these health hazards happen, it’s because the water parameters and quality have dropped. This means upping your game and cleaning schedule without fail to restore the tank to its best.
They can be minimized with a strict water cleaning and change schedule along with regular checking of your water parameters with a suitable testing kit.
Breeding Silver Arowanas
It isn’t possible to breed Silver Arowanas in a home aquarium, or at least if it does occur, it’s a rarity and more likely to happen in a huge pond when it hasn’t been planned.
So Are Silver Arowanas Worth The Space And High Maintenance?
For any hobbyist who has been dreaming of having one, they most certainly are. Having any Arowana earns brownie points and bragging rights with those in the know.
Majestic in shape and size, they are wonderful to witness as predatory fish and highly prized for their dragon-like head shape.
Widely regarded as symbolic of wealth and luck, this is a fish to aspire to for many, but like many other dreams on our checklists, the reality is that it doesn’t always happen due to the space and time commitment required.
If you’re lucky enough to have one, then you truly are already experiencing the luck they purport to bring their owners.
Oh, and that Monkey Fish name? That’s because Arowanas are considered to be acrobats of those imposing freshwater rivers they inhabit and their ability to jump and fly through the air with skill.
We didn’t want to leave you hanging without the answer to that fun fact!
