Arowana Care: A Complete Guide on Types, Tank Setup, Diet and More

 Arowana’s (also known as dragon fish) are wonderful monsters fish, that don’t only look the part, they act the part.

And providing optimal care is key to seeing them flourish. In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to do that.

In the Wild: Arowana Overview

Arowanas are a species of fish that are part of the ancient family of osteoglossidae.

This group of fish are sometimes (rather strangely) called “bony tongues” because of a toothed plate of bone that they have on the lower part of their mouth.

Inhabiting the inland waters of South America, Southeast Asia, and Australia, these fish have elongated bodies covered with large scales and a distinct pair of barbells protruding from the tip of their lower jaw.

Sounds handsome, huh?

Because of their looks, arowanas are also sometimes known (especially in Asian countries) as “dragon fish” or “shui long” in Mandarin.

Folklore tells us that arowanas bring luck, since they resemble a traditional Chinese dragon. They’re highly predatory fish that you’ll often see elegantly patrolling the surface of the water.

And get this:

Arowanas can live over twenty years in captivity. That’s more than most domesticated dogs! There have even been unconfirmed reports of arowanas living to nearly FIFTY years.

With that in mind, there’s no denying that keeping an arowana is a long-term commitment.

Probably the most sought-after and popular freshwater monster fish in the world, the arowana even makes an appearance in literature and is cited as “the world’s most coveted fish” in the book The Dragon Behind the Glass by Emily Voigt.

Types of Arowanas

While there are only 6 species of ‘true’ Arowanas, there are plenty of geographical and naturally occurring variants as well.

Here, we’ll discuss in detail almost each and every kind Arowana:

South American Arowana

Let’s go through some that originate from South America.

Silver Arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum)

The silver arowana (osteoglossum bicirrhosum) is the largest of of all the arowana species, capable of growing to 3 and a half feet in length- wowza!

While it is the biggest arowana, it’s also known to be one of the most docile as well.

Looks wise:

It has a distinct metallic silver color and elongated dorsal and anal fins, which only the arowanas from South America have. Lastly, it’s the most common and least expensive arowana you can find.

Black Arowana (Osteoglossum ferreirai)

Black arowanas closely resemble the silver arowana in both shape and size. As juveniles, black arowanas have a distinct black band covering the length of their body.

However, as they mature, this band slowly disappears, leaving their body with a slight tint of purple, which is most prominent towards their anal fin (ooh la la).

Compared to the silver arowana, they grow considerably slower and also have a more slender body.

Australian Arowana

Let’s go through those from Australia.

Australian Arowana (Scleropages jardinii)

Native to both Australia and South Central New Guinea, the Australian arowana is one of two species of arowanas that come from this region.

Their body is covered in copper colored scales accented with small pink edges, which sometimes appear as pink spots on the fins. Similar to its silver sibling, the Australian arowana has the potential to grow to almost 3 feet in length.

Most consider the Australian arowana to be the “bad boy” of the arowana world due to their tendency to wear leather jackets and drive fast motorcycles fiery temperament.

Because of this, keeping Aussie arowanas in a tank with others can be a real challenge. While some have certainly succeeded in keeping them in communities, most Australian arowanas won’t tolerate tank mates once they reach 12-14 inches in size.

Saratoga (Scleropages leichardti)

The saratoga lives within the Fitzroy River in East Central Queensland, Australia.

These lil’ guys are probably the least-known arowana species and are usually only kept by hardcore arowana fanatics (I see you, dudes!).

They closely resemble the Australian arowana in both size and appearance.

However, the pink coloration towards the edge of the scales is way more prominent and widespread with the saratoga; not to mention the fact that they’re also a bit more slender than the Australian arowana (so not fat shaming you, Aussie arowana- you know we love you!!).

In contrast, the pair of barbels protruding towards the edge of saratoga’s lower jaw are extremely short compared to other arowanas.

Asian Arowana

Now onto the Asian arowanas.

Green Arowana (Scleropages formosus)

You’ll find the green arowana living at the Nami Dam in Malaysia. Colloquially known as the Asian arowana, it has a pale gray coloration with a slight tint of green- especially towards the edge of its fins.

This Asian arowana has shorter dorsal and anal fins than South American arowanas and can grow up to around 3 feet in length.

Banjar / Yellow Tail Arowana (Scleropages formosus)

The Banjar arowana is native to Banjarmasin, Borneo. This particular species is pretty distinct, in that its dorsal, caudal (tail), and anal fins are yellow while the rest of its body has a yellowish/greenish tint.

Red Tail Golden Arowana (Scleropages formosus)

The red tail golden arowanas (also known as RTGs) can be found within the Siak River system in Pekanbaru, Indonesia.

Considered the ‘classic’ look for Asian arowanas, the red tail golden arowana is one of the most sought after of any arowana species.

And no wonder, since it looks so striking:

It has deep red fins with golden scales covering more than half of its body. But RTGs are different from all the other arowanas in that their beautiful golden scales (which experts refer to as the shine) will never grow past the fourth row of scales from their belly.

The scales without shine are usually a dull dark gray color.

Golden Arowana (Scleropages formosus)

Probably the most famous Asian arowana of all, the golden arowana is one of the most coveted ornamental fish around the world. For real, yo!

Native to Bukit Merah in Indonesia, the golden arowana is special because its shine extends all the way up to the sixth row of scales.

Golden arowanas who have shine like this are known as ‘crossbacks’, because the level of shine has crossed up to their back (erm… obviously).

A golden arowana that has a fully golden head as well as the crossback coloration is known as the elusive ‘golden head full helmet crossback’, and is the most expensive and prestigious type of golden arowana.

When it comes to this Asian arowana, the more intense the gold coloration is, the more desirable they are to aquatic hobbyists.

There are also special variants of the golden arowanas that have a tint of blue towards the latter half of their bodies. These are called ‘blue-based crossbacks’ and are also considered premium fish.

Red Arowana (Scleropages formosus)

The majestic red arowana naturally occurs in the waters of Lake Sentarum in Kalimantan, Borneo.

Hobbyists reckon it’s one of the most expensive ornamental fish in the world and has even eclipsed its rival, the golden arowana, when it comes to popularity and value. Take that, golden arowana! Burrrrrrn!

As the name suggests, the red arowana is colored red from barbell to tail.

But here’s the thing:

As juveniles, this coloration will only be prominent towards the lips and the fins. Yet as they mature, that red color begins to spread all over their bodies.

At around 3 years old, the red coloration on its scales will be very prominent (as long as you’ve given it proper care and a good diet up till then).

Red arowanas are fiercely sought after, thanks to their gorgeous red color and unique appearance.

But even more than that:

Its distinct red color and similarities to a dragon is reminiscent of the common Asian symbols for luck and prosperity. The superstitious among us might believe that a red arowana would bring luck and prosperity to its owner.

Batik Arowana (Scleropages inscriptus)

The Batik arowana originates from Myanmar and closely resembles the green arowana in both color and looks.

But the batik arowana is a special fella:

It has very distinct scribble markings all over its body; markings which are said to resemble the tribal war tattoos of ancient Polynesian civilizations.

Because of this, the batik arowana is becoming more and more popular amongst aquatic hobbyists.