ALL ABOUT AROWANAS

Always start by changing the water…

2010-09-08T21:32:00.000-07:00

I would like to share a story with you from one of my readers. (It is reproduced verbatim below)

Hi
I brought 3 Arowanas in my fish tank about 2 weeks back. 2 of them did not eat the food except the live fish, whenever given. One arowana was okay with having feed as well as live fish, but for past 2-3 days, the arowanas were not acting normal. they reduced their movements, rather like to stay idle. I thought that they might be hungry so I brought live fish for them. Probably all of them had eaten them.

But yesterday, one of them firstly started swimming down the water, subsequently remained with its head down. and others too were not active, one of them was getting its tail downwards, and both remained inactive while staying idle on the corners of the tank on the top.

I gave medicine (tetracyclin and another anti-biotic for gastric disorder) and increased the temperature to 28 degrees, and about 2 hours later of medication, I changed over 25% of water maintaining the same temperature. thereafter i increased the water temperature to 30 degrees.

In the meanwhile, i could see a change in other 2 arowanas but the one with head dipping downwards had a little improvement.

But today morning the arowana with head dipping downwards, dies. alas! On inspection, i could find that the surviving arowanas, although they are better in their movements, but they have lost their color and texture and the fins are also broken. and one of them is still having tail tilting downwards.

I am really attached with arowanas, last year also i lost 2 of my arowanas.
please suggest me the remedy

regards
*************************************************************************

Some observations here that will help you manage your beloved arowanas better.

1) Everytime, when you sense that something is not right with your arowanas, the first thing you do is change the water! Don't have to think ok about what to do…. just change the water. Again change a maximum of 20-25% maximum each time. Also do not change everyday but every other day if needed. (I'm assuming that you are using tap water.) You do not need anti-chlorine as it is only 20% change in water. I have never used anti-chlorine in any of my water changes.

The problem I see is that many hobbyist procrastinate in changing water and hoping for the best. Do not wait for another day but change the water ASAP once you detect some anomaly in the behaviour of your arowana.

2) Medication should be used 'sparingly' and should NEVER be your first action plan. I have never used medication at all for my 5 cross-backs in my tank. (3 years now) I make it a point to change water every 2 weeks or so with additions of salt and black water everytime I change it.

3) When your arowanas have problems, I also see many hobbyist feeding them more food thinking that they are hungry. This is more often than not, the wrong deduction and definite the wrong thing to do. Your arowana being sick is 99% caused by the condition of the water. When you add more live food into it, you are increasing the waste in the water (your live food also produces waste) which makes the water more polluted than before. If you have sick fishes, avoid feeding them for a few days until you have done the necessary.

Hope the information above has given you a better insight into what actions to take when you see problems. Cheers!

Can Asian Arowanas Be Bred In Just About Any Asian Country?

2010-08-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

I had a call about 2 weeks back from someone from Myanmar who wanted to setup a breeding farm there. They were in Singapore for just a few days and since they came all the way to meet me, I could not say no to a meeting with them. Anyway I met a nice old gentlemen with his son who wanted to know how to setup a breeding farm in Myanmar.

They already had 2 ponds breeding green arowanas and they wanted to venture out into reds and xback golds as well. Just out of curiosity, I asked them how much they could sell green arowanas for in Myanmar.. and they said about US$800 per fish! Man! that is a damn good price for greens.

They were looking for someone to help them with the setup as well as enquire about certain techniques to increase their yield. They were getting about 100+ babies a year which I thought was pretty good for 2 ponds.

Anyway, where I'm going with this are the following facts.. I am just reiterating what I wrote in another post but I think it is worth mentioning again if anyone is thinking of giving this a try..

Best to do this with a question/answer format :-
Q – Can asian arowanas (reds, xbacks, RTGS) be bred in other asian countries other than Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore?

Ans – No one has succeeded yet! My advise is, DON'T TRY unless you are playing with excess money as it is not cheap to start such a venture. (I don't mind if you throw some my way! ) The chances of success is slim. But again, who knows right? You could be the first!

Q – The climate, soil and water is very similar in my country. I should be able to breed them right?

Ans – Well.. if you go by that logic, then probably yes BUT some investors have tried in Thailand but without success. If you go by similarities, then I think Thailand is the closest to Malaysia and Singapore but yet, they have failed to breed them there. I personally think that there are subtle differences in the soil and water makeup that we cannot really differentiate.

Q – How many ponds would I need to even start this investment with?

Ans – Ok.. So you still want to try this out inspite of my frank assessment. (Ok you have some spare chump change to throw! ) What you need to realize is that you will need as many ponds as you can build and fill up, bearing in mind that not all ponds will be productive. Some ponds will be very productive and probably give you a mouthful of fry every 3-4 months and others every 6 months or so and yet others NEVER! For those ponds that have very little yield, you will have to mix them again to increase the chance of the new mix breeding.

Every pond should have at least 20-25 adult fishes to start off with. Xbacks and RTGs can start to breed when about 3+ years while reds will take a bit longer about 4+ years.

I hope that this has given you a good overview on this subject. Drop me a line in this blog if you have any more queries on this very interesting topic.

Qian Hu's CEO "The Rise of An Asian Entrepreneur"

2009-10-31T07:35:00.000-07:00

If you are a fish lover, you definitely heard of Qian Hu, the largest Fish Company in South East Asia. The CEO - Kenny Yap started his fishy business at the age of 34!

Recently he launched his very own ebook - "The Rise of An Asian Entrepreneur". It recorded his life story as well as his business, the high and low of his life, and how he turned his business into a $93 Million dollar a year business!

You can read everything HERE! It's inspiring!

Don't miss it!

Maximum Temperature for a Biorb Tank?

2009-06-25T20:07:00.000-07:00

The ideal temperature for your aquarium depends on the kind of fish you want to keep in it, but there are also other factors to consider when dealing with a biorb.

As a rule, the cooler your aquarium is, the easier it is to look after. It's also much easier to look after big aquariums than small ones. This is because things take longer to go wrong in a bigger ecosystem, whilst heat means that most problematic bacteria will metabolise more quickly and breed faster.

Because biorbs are small, it's better to try and keep them relatively cool - around 24°C - choosing fish that are happier at this sort of temperature, such as danios, barbs or the smaller species of tetra. Smaller fish will be happier generally in this type of aquarium as they'll have more space to move and behave naturally.

If you set up a community of different types of fish in your tank, it's important to make sure that they will all be comfortable at the same temperature. It's also important to keep the temperature stable, as changes can have a negative effect on fish health. Again, this is more difficult in a smaller tank, so you should make sure you have a good quality heater and an aquarium thermometer which you check regularly.

Remember that the temperature of your tank can be affected by the overall temperature of your house. Even if your heater has a good thermostat, you should be especially careful about checking the temperature in very warm or cold weather.

It's good that you're taking your time to heat up your tank as this will help you to establish a stable ecosystem. When you reach your chosen temperature, you should run the tank for another week before introducing the fish, to give everything time to stabilise.

A small, warm aquarium is more vulnerable to disease, so you should pay close attention to your fishes' health and have medicines on hand to enable you to deal with problems as soon as they appear. However, if you set things up properly and are careful and attentive, you should have many years of successful fishkeeping to look forward to.

Aquarama 2009 Goldfish Competition Results Part 2 …

2009-06-18T19:52:00.000-07:00

Hi all,
Here are the other 7 videos for Category B (large) in the Aquarama 2009 goldfish competititon. This is the last of the videos that I took this time… until Aquarama 2011 that is !!!!!

Oh yes.. before I forget… the Aquarama 2009 Goldfish Grand Champion is in video 6 here !!! But poor fish… I think because it was so big and fat, it could not move much when I was taking the video!

1) Ranchu - Category B Class 1

2) Pearl Scaled Varieties - Category B Class 2

3) Oranda - Category B Class 3

4) Dragon Eye - Category B Class 4

5) Ryukin - Long Caudal Fin (Tail) - Category B Class 5

6) Ryukin - Short Caudal Fin (Tail) - Category B Class 6 (Goldfish Grand Champion is in this category)

7) Open - Any Variety - Category B Class 7

Here is Part 1 of the goldfish competition results for Aquarama 2009

2009-06-16T10:45:00.001-07:00

As promised, here are the Aquarama 2009 goldfish competition videos that I mentioned before. Sorry it took so long but had been busy lately. Anyway enjoy them and hope you like them!

There are 14 videos so I will give you the 1st 7 here for category A. (smaller goldfishes)

1) Ranchu - Category A Class 1

2) Pearl Scaled Varieties - Category A Class 2

3) Oranda - Category A Class 3

4) Dragon Eye - Category A Class 4

5) Ryukin - Long Caudal Fin (Tail) - Category A Class 5

6) Ryukin - Short Caudal Fin (Tail) - Category A Class 6

7) Open - Any Variety - Category A Class 7

Hope you picked up some valuable pointers..

2009-05-30T01:16:00.001-07:00

Hi Readers,

I hope that you have learned some very good tips from my 7 days
arowana care ecourse. They are not exhaustive but definitely a
very good starting point for you.

However these are just a very small portion of what you will
eventually find in the book that I have written. So if you do get a
chance, I would encourage you to get your hands on it so that you
can get off on the right footing with this hobby at
http://tinyurl.com/o89w3c .

Other than that, I want to again wish you all the best and take care!

Aquarama 2009 Arowana Competition Winners are....

2009-05-28T17:54:00.001-07:00

Hiya everyone…
Here's the arowana competition results for Aquarama 2009 for your viewing pleasure! Some really really cool arowanas in the show.. The open categories were TOTALLY, AND I MEAN TOTALLY DOMINATED by ALBINO Arowanas! Actually they swept all the 1st to 3rd prizes in both the small and large categories! Need I say more! Shoot! Wished I owned one of those! Real beauties!

BUT BUT ZE GRAND CHAMPION WAS A GOOD OL RED AROWANA!!!!

Ok ok without further ado, here they are! ENJOY!!!!

1) Small RED Arowanas Category …

2) Small GOLDEN Arowanas Category …

3) Small OPEN Arowanas Category …

4) Large RED Arowanas Category (Grand Champion is here! What a RED!!!) …

5) Large GOLDEN Arowanas Category …

6) Large OPEN Arowanas Category …

Hope you like what you saw above. Let your friends know if they're keen to see the winners.

Later on I'll publish some nice goldfish videos here as well. Have taken the videos of the winners already but have yet to edit them. Will find some time.

Anyway cheers to everyone and take care! FISH POWER TO ALL!

Readers,remember to test the arowana tank water or else..

2009-05-28T00:51:00.001-07:00

The Arowana tank water looks clear but the ammonia stench from it is rather strong! What should I do?

The number one cause of illness or disease in Arowanas is poor water quality. Poor tank water conditions stress and compromise the health of new or young fish as well as adults and long-term occupants. While maintaining a healthy tank sounds like a given to any serious aquarium keeper, good water care habits fall by the wayside all too often with established tanks.

Think you’re doing OK since your tank looks clear and your fish appears healthy? Think again. Fish survival and water clarity do not serve as accurate indicators of water quality. Numerous dissolved toxic substances can be present in crystal clear water. PH and temperature fluctuations do not affect clarity, either.

Unfortunately, poor water quality can take a physical toll on an Arowana so swiftly, it may be too late before you notice any signs of stress. In other instances, Arowanas may adapt to slowly deteriorating conditions. They may manage to survive until the overwhelming stress leads to “sudden” illness or disease.

The only way to accurately gauge water quality is through regular water testing. The best way to prevent water quality problems is to ensure you have adequate filtration and follow a regular water maintenance and tank cleaning schedule.

Water Testing for Quality Control

Water testing should be performed a minimum of once per week. The more often you test your water, the more likely you are to detect a problem early on. Treating water problems before they reach dangerous levels is crucial to preventing stress. It is much simpler to diagnose and remedy small water quality problems than to treat compounded, crises-level conditions.

Your water testing regimen should involve measuring levels of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. You should also monitor tank water temperature closely.

• Ammonia is highly toxic to Arowanas and no measurable amount should be considered acceptable. Ammonia is produced by fish excrement, excess food, and other sources of decaying organic matter. Ammonia is continually released into any tank and processed by beneficial bacteria. Measurable levels of ammonia may indicate over-feeding, over-crowding, excessive waste buildup, or inadequate biological filtration.

• Nitrite is also extremely toxic and no amount is considered safe. Ammonia is converted to nitrite within tanks, so nitrite buildup commonly follows a spike in ammonia level. It is also indicative of over-feeding or overcrowding, or inadequate or malfunctioning filtration systems.

• Nitrate is the final product of the nitrogen cycle within the tank. It is formed when nitrite is oxidized by bacteria. It is far less toxic to Arowanas than ammonia or nitrite, and fish can tolerate slowly elevating nitrate levels. Sudden nitrate spikes combined with decreased oxygenation levels can result in nitrate shock. Ideally, nitrate should be kept at or below 25 mg/L.

• pH is the acidity or baseness of the water. The maximum acidity of tank water is 1, while the maximum baseness is 14. Arowanas kept at between 6.5 to 7 pH will experience the least stress.

• Water temperature should read between 24C (77F) to 30C (86F) for your Arowana to thrive. Check temperature at various times of the day to detect the effects of sunlight or lamps. Use two thermometers in separate areas of the tank for the most accurate reading. Remember that heaters are small appliances that can and do malfunction and fail.

Your water test kits must be kept in excellent condition to provide accurate readings. They should be used within six months or discarded. Discard testing materials that are old or may have been contaminated.

Improving Water Quality

Water quality is best improved with a slow, methodical approach. It is essential that you identify and correct whatever is causing the water quality problem. Quick fixes or chemical cures or correctives rarely help long term. Many such products only make things worse and may interfere with accurate testing. For the benefit of your Arowana, it is best to learn to correct problems by improving water quality rather than quickly altering its chemical makeup.

Readers,understand why you would need substrate in your arowana tank..

2009-05-27T01:02:00.001-07:00

It is a pain cleaning my Arowana tank after I put tank substrates in it! Do I really need it?

Keeping an Arowana requires careful consideration regarding tank set-up and whether to use any tank substrates at all. It is not simply a matter of how you would like your Arowana tank to look. Arowanas are affected by everything in their environment. To keep them in prime health and condition, you may need to re-examine your personal preferences regarding the use of substrate.

The Purpose of Tank Substrates

Aquarium tank substrate serves several purposes in a tank. Three of the most important include:

1. Storing and providing nutrients for live plants
2. Providing surface area for beneficial bacteria growth
3. Providing a “bottom” reference point for fish

How important a role is each purpose with regards to an Arowana tank?

Evaluating Tank Substrate Function

First consider whether or not live plants are appropriate for your Arowana tank. Arowanas can uoroot plants, and live plants create a great deal of debris. They can also host harmful parasites and have significant effects on water quality. If you decide plants will be beneficial to your tank, some amount of substrate will likely be required. Alternatively, plants may be kept in pots that provide the nutrients they need to thrive. Weighted fake plants are another possible compromise that can eliminate the need for substrate.

As far as promoting bacteria growth, how important is this in your tank? Unlike many other species, Arowanas demand a high level of filtration. An adequately filtered Arowana tank already houses a great deal of beneficial bacteria within the filters themselves. Using a variety of filter media (sponges, ceramic rings, bio-balls) provides an amazing amount of surface area for bacteria to colonize. Are you in doubt about your filters’ ability to support adequate bacteria? If so, you may want to re-examine your filtration system whether or not you decide to use substrate.

The question of the importance of a “bottom” reference point is particularly relevant to Arowanas. Many specialists identify glass bottoms as a possible factor in the onset of Droopy Eye. The lack of a bottom, the theory goes, disorients Arowanas and they gaze downward at reflected light. After prolonged periods, looking downward becomes a permanent fixation. Whether or not there is truth to the theory, consider the implications for your fish. If there is even a chance a layer of substrate could protect against Droopy Eye, it may be worth it to you.

The Demands of Substrate Maintenance

Perhaps the biggest argument against the use of tank substrate is the extra maintenance it demands. In a tank the size of an arowana’s, this is no small consideration. Arowanas are messy eaters and their tanks’ bioloads are considerable. In addition to hosting beneficial bacteria, gravel traps and holds toxic waste. This can quickly prove deadly in the event of a filtration malfunction.

If you are going to keep the tank substrate clean, you will need to thoroughly 'vacuum' it very regularly. How often will substrate need to be cleaned? It depends on the size of the tank, the filtration, and of course, the fish. How much and how often you feed will also affect the condition of the substrate, as will any tank mates. Generally speaking, Arowana tanks should be vacuumed every week to 10 days.

A Healthy Compromise

There’s no one simple solution to the decision of whether or not to use substrate. Eliminating substrate definitely equates to less work and a cleaner tank. Alternatively, it could be in the Arowana’s best interest to provide a bottom reference point. In the end, some aquarium keepers simply feel substrate is worth the extra work

There are two options that may help Arowana keepers meet the conflicting needs of their fish. One is to paint the outside bottom of the tank, and the other is to use a thin covering of substrate. Either solution provides a “bottom” for the fish and the ornamental effect many owners prefer. If even a thin layer of substrate proves too inconvenient, you can always take it out. Should you decide you despise the paint you’ve used, you can always add a thin layer of gravel. Reverting to a transparent bottom after painting however is not going to be an option.

Readers,know what to feed your arowana..

2009-05-26T01:02:00.001-07:00

Which fish food is suitable? My Arowana is just so choosy about it! What can I do as this is driving me nuts!

This problem has certainly driven some Arowana hobbyist crazy when they can't get hold of their arowana's favourite fish food! Arowanas are just like us in that they have certain likes and dislikes when it comes to the food they eat. But again like us, if we are trained from young to eat a wide variety of food, this becomes less of a problem.

Four Types of Fish Food

There are four forms of fish food available for you to select from when feeding your Arowana: Live, fresh, frozen and canned. There may be some overlap within these categories. But breaking foods down into these four basic categories makes it easy to organize a varied diet.

Arowanas are generally good eaters and owners would do well to take advantage of that fact. Feeding from a variety of the four fish food types is simple once your fish becomes accustomed to the practice. It may help to offer a small bit of “favorite” food with each new food type initially. Eventually you should have no problem feeding any type of food occasionally.

1. Live Food: Many Arowana owners are most familiar with live food choices. Live food mimics what an Arowana might consume in its natural environment. Feeder fish, meal worms, crickets and small frogs are common choices. It is important to consider the source of live foods to ensure they are parasite and hazard-free.

2. Fresh Food for Arowanas consists of mainly meat. Fish, prawns, chicken, or beef hearts (with fat trimmed) are some meats that may be fed to Arowanas. Arowanas should be fed only quality fresh ingredients. Never feed your fish spoiled fresh food.

3. Frozen Food is a great alternative feeding option when fresh foods are unavailable. Frozen meat or frozen live food sources (cockroaches, centipedes, etc) are examples of frozen food.

4. Canned Food for Arowanas usually come in pellets or dried processed form. Although they are formulated and marketed as a “complete diet,” Arowanas prefer to be fed live foods. Consider canned fish foods another alternative rather than a sole source of nutrition. The more varieties of canned food your Arowana will accept, the better. This helps ensure a healthy appetite when live or fresh foods are unavailable.

Appropriate Feeding Practices

Most Arowanas respond well to a regular feeding schedule. Adults need only be fed once daily or every other day. Overfeeding severely compromises water quality, and can do much more harm than good for your fish. Feed no more than the amount of fish food your Arowana consumes in five minutes.

Young Arowanas must be fed much more frequently. Begin feeding them as soon as their yolk sac disappears. Baby Arowanas will generally start to feed on baby mollies or guppies. A variety of fish foods should gradually be introduced at feedings 2-3 times per day. Once an Arowana is approximately 10 inches long, feeding can be reduced to once daily.

If you find your Arowana is reluctant to try a new food type, keep offering it on occasion and it may eventually be accepted. When offering a new type of food along with a known favorite, alternate the order in which the fish foods are fed. In general, the more you mix up the types of fish food you make available, the more likely your fish is to accept whatever is offered.

I would also like to reiterate the point I made at the beginning of this article. If you train your arowana from young, you will see much less resistance when offering them a variety of food. Many hobbyist tend to try varying the diet when their arowanas are much older and this can be much more difficult.

Readers, Aquarama 2009 is round the corner...

2009-05-25T09:40:00.001-07:00

Aquarama 2009 is finally here!

Hi all,
Aquarama 2009 is finally here! It's been a 2 year wait but I think it'll be worth it! Drop by the Suntec Exhibition Centre in Singapore if you can! I think it's the largest aquarium show in Asia and should not be missed if you can make it here for this coming weekend. Starts on the 28th and ends on the 31st May.  
Get your bi-annual dose of fish (arowanas, goldfish, discus, etc.) competitions, fish, fish and more fish! You will have fish coming out of your ears by the end of the week!  
I'll try and take as much photos and videos as I can on the 28th and 29th and post it on my blog here. Unfortunately I'm going to be away overseas from the weekend onwards and will miss the large crowd that's expected to turn up for the weekend. I think it's going to be CRAAAZZZZYYY during the weekend .. As I said, do attend if you're in the neighbourhood!   Many many cheap budget flights nowadays to Singapore.   No excuse ya! 
Ok cheerio and have a good weekend!

Readers,remember that not all tankmates are suitable..

2009-05-25T00:58:00.000-07:00

Tank mates pose a unique challenge for Arowana keepers. On the one hand, tanks are generally large enough to keep more than just one large fish. On the other hand, Arowanas are territorial and aggressive. The majority enjoy feeding on live food, including tank mates.

There are some guidelines you can use to increase your chances of success with
Arowana tank mates. Even so, no guarantees can be made for tank mates’ short or long-term survival.

Characteristics of Contenders

An Arowana will swallow practically anything that fits comfortably in its mouth. Fish that compete for their swimming space are most likely to end up as snacks. Arowanas are surface swimmers and focus much of their attention towards the top of the tank. Large, bottom-dwelling tank mates and fast, mid-tank swimmers will have the highest chance of survival.

It is in your Arowana’s best interest to avoid aggressive, surface swimming tank mates. Fights can erupt at any time, and the results can be detrimental. Usually your arowana would be the more aggressive one but you never know. (So be warned.. Keep aggressive surface swimming tank mates at your own risk.) Torn fins and tails, bites and other wounds are unsightly to say the least. Even a small cut or injury can quickly become the site of an infection.

Can you keep two or more arowanas together in the same tank? Yes but they must have grown up together from young. Will they still fight? Probably yes but at least it will not be fatal.

Suitable Arowana Tank Mates

There are several species that are good candidates for successful housing with Arowanas. Consider one or two options from each category for the highest likelihood of success.

1. Bottom-dwellers

• Large catfish such as Lima or Tiger Shovelnoses.
• Large loaches, including Clown Loaches
• Plecostomus, ideally over 8 inches.
• Fresh Water Rays

Although many bottom-dwellers are shy, they do still add interest to the tank. In addition, they provide the benefit of helping to keep the tank clean. Many bottom-dwellers consume excess food scraps and keep surfaces free of algae.

Freshwater rays are an interesting possibility for an Arowana tank mate. Large, flat, and bottom-dwelling, they tend to go undisturbed by Arowanas.

2. Fast-moving Fish

• Tinfoil barbs
• Severums
• Parrot fish
• Gouramies

3. Large Shy, Non-aggressive Fish

• Knife fish
• Silver Dollars

Additional Considerations

Always keep the health and well-being of your Arowana in mind when choosing tank mates. Although tank mates may prefer hiding places and live plants, consider whether these are in the best interest of your Arowana.

I would recommend that you quarantine new arrivals for a few days before adding them to your tank, and refrain from adding more than one tank mate at a time. Observe the behavior of your Arowana for signs of stress the first few days following a tank addition. Finally, have a plan in place for fast removal of the tank mate should a chase or attack occur.

Readers, arowana tank size does matter..

2009-05-24T00:53:00.001-07:00

Getting the right arowana fish tank from the start can save you a lot of hassles later on!

When it comes to housing an Arowana, bigger is certainly better. Starting out small with a juvenile fish may work out in the short term, but Arowanas grow rapidly and a large fish tank will quickly be necessary. Purchasing one large aquarium tank at the outset can save considerable costs in upgrades. If you must purchase housing at a staggered pace, keep your ultimate goals in mind.

Ideal Fish Tank Capacity

Baby Arowanas thrive when housed in a more confined setting. If you already own a larger fish tank, use a divider to create a smaller space. You can gradually increase the volume of the tank as your young Arowana grows. For Arowanas under 6 inches, a 20 gallon tank will suffice. The basic requirements of the permanent setup should be in place for the baby’s tank, too. This will ensure the safety of the fish and allow it to thrive and develop optimally.

Fish tanks come in many different sizes, shapes and price ranges. Narrow down your choices by considering the needs of your arowana. Rectangular tanks are ideal for Arowanas since they are able to swim their lengths. A full grown Arowana should be housed in a 150 gallon or larger glass tank. A 125 gallon tank can suffice, but a larger fish tank is highly recommended. The cost of a 150 gallon or larger tank is usually not much more than a 125 gallon. For housing an Arowana, buy the biggest setup you have room for and can reasonably afford.

Arowana Tanks, Hoods and Stands

Fish tank frames, hoods and stands are generally constructed of sturdy wood or acrylic.
Decide on your preference ahead of time based on the type of stand you will be using. It is a simple matter to match tank frames to stands if you know what to look for ahead of time. If you intend to use a black iron stand, consider an acrylic black tank frame. Similarly, an oak colored tank frame will match an oak stand. Matching hoods are also available once you’ve decided on a color scheme.

Generally speaking, the dimensions of rectangular tanks, hoods and stands are standard regardless of brand or model. Still, it may be best to purchase all three components together to avoid style or fit mismatches.

A sturdy glass canopy and a durable hood are essential for housing an arowana. The canopy and hood support heavy tank lighting and reduce water evaporation. The canopy also keeps leaping arowanas safely in the tank and reduces the risk of jumping injuries. Plastic canopies should be avoided as they are simply not durable enough. Even a heavy glass canopy may need reinforcement to contain an arowana.

The stand you select should be specially designed to support the massive weight of a large fish tank. Water weighs over 8 lbs. per gallon, so strength is extremely important. Both wood and iron are durable stand options, but iron may rust over time.

Avoid a Costly Compromise

Second-hand setups may seem like a bargain, but in general you will do well to avoid them. Leaks can be unbelievably destructive and detrimental to an Arowana. Even a slow, “minor” leak can ruin the stand supporting the fish tank, destroy equipment housed below it, and permanently damage carpeting and floors. Repairing a leak often requires the complete breakdown of the fish tank and is never a guaranteed solution. Consider the risk of harm to your arowana in the event of a leak unacceptable.

Readers, when transporting your arowana home, please be aware..

2009-05-23T01:10:00.000-07:00

Getting your Arowana off to the right start is crucial if your fish is to thrive in its new home environment. Give careful thought to how you will transport your Arowana after purchase to minimize stress. Carefully prepare the Arowana’s new environment. The hardiest Arowanas are strongly affected by even minimal changes, and stress is perhaps the biggest cause of illness you can control.

Destination Preparation

Regardless of whether your Arowana tank is a newer set-up or a well-established tank, its condition prior to your fish’s arrival must be optimal. There are several things you can do to make your Arowana as comfortable as possible in its new surroundings. Each step plays an integral part in minimizing stress and protecting the Arowana from discomfort and the onset of disease.

1. Match pH and temperature as closely as possible to the tank of origin. Particular care should be given to the stability of the pH level. Ideally, pH should be stable for a minimum of three weeks prior to the Arowana’s arrival. Temperature is much easier to control, but is also important to monitor.

2. Ensure water quality is at peak level. A visual inspection is not sufficient for judging your water quality, nor is the condition of tank mates! Ideal ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels should be reported during testing for several weeks prior to your Arowana’s introduction. Test water again just prior to the acclimatization process, as well. Never add medication to tank water in conjunction with acclimatization!

3. Check filtration is functioning optimally prior to acclimatization. Any maintenance to filters or media can dramatically affect water quality. Perform necessary tank maintenance and equipment repairs at least 1 week prior to acclimatization.

4. Inspect tank mates if there are other species currently inhabiting the tank. Each should be in peak condition and show no signs of stress or disease. House only bottom-dwelling, benign tank mates during Arowana acclimatization. Consider moving questionable species to a quarantine tank for several days to avoid the risk of injury to the tank mate or the acclimatizing Arowana.

During Transport

Consider how far your Arowana will have to travel when you decide on a source for your purchase. If at all possible, purchases should be made close to home to minimize transport time. Make every effort to transport your Arowana yourself so you can personally monitor its condition throughout travel. If the Arowana seller will be packing the fish for delivery, discuss what measures will be taken to guarantee safe arrival.

Arowanas should not be fed for at least one day prior to travel. An Arowana should be packed in its own tank water in a double-ply, sturdy plastic bag. Air should fill at least two thirds of the sealed bag to allow for adequate aeration of the Arowana’s temporary environment.

Styrofoam cartons are an ideal medium for transporting bagged Arowana. Styrofoam serves as insulation against rapidly fluctuating temperatures. Keep Styrofoam boxes tightly closed to further stabilize temperature.

Acclimatizing Your Arowana

Take the time to help your Arowana adjust to its new environment by following proper acclimatization procedures. Acclimatization generally takes approximately one hour.
I
1. Turn off Aquarium lighting
2. Allow plastic bag containing fish to float in the tank approximately 20 minutes
3. Slowly begin adding a small amount of tank water to the bag at five minute intervals
4. Continue adding tank water until the bag is completely full
5. Empty 50% of the bag’s water, and repeat steps 3 – 4.
6. When bag is full for the second time, slowly release the fish into the tank

Monitor your Arowana closely during the first 48 hours following release. Keep lighting off to minimize stress during this important adjustment period, and pay close attention to interactions with any tank mates. Avoid feeding newly acclimatized fish for at least 24 hours.

Should Difficulties Arise

Have a plan in place for immediate action in the event of trouble during acclimatization. When it comes to injury or illness, it pays to be prepared to correct problems swiftly and effectively. Even a few hours delay in administering treatments or a slightly improper medication dosage can spell disaster for a stressed Arowana.

A fully cycled quarantine tank should be on hand to house injured or ill fish. An Arowana first aid kit is also a smart investment. Should the aquarium shop be closed or out of stock, you’ll always be prepared. Have a variety of water conditioning treatments and medications on hand and know how to use them.

What to look for when choosing an arowana..

2009-05-22T00:48:00.001-07:00

If you’re ready to purchase an asian arowana, it’s likely you’ve committed significant resources in preparing appropriate housing. To help ensure you own and enjoy your arowana for many years to come, be prepared to devote a similar amount of effort to the selection of your arowana. It may be necessary to put off a purchase to prevent making a hasty compromise. Develop the skills necessary to choose the right fish to avoid disappointment or disaster.

Trade Regulations and the Market

One of the factors affecting the selection of Arowanas available for purchase is the highly regulated nature of their trade. Asian Arowanas are classified by CITES as endangered, protected species. Illegal hunting or trade violations exact heavy penalties. It is up to you to know and abide by laws governing arowana trade.

Some nations (including the United States) forbid the trade of Asian Arowanas. Others require permits to be obtained from both the countries of export and import. Under no circumstances is it appropriate to purchase or obtain an arowana illegally. Not only is it against the law and the best interest of the species, but black-market fish tend to be of poor quality and their health is often compromised.

There are a variety of other species to choose from if Asian Arowanas cannot be legally obtained or afforded. Australian and South American Arowanas can be quite beautiful and intriguing fish. Both are often available in pet shops or specialty aquarium stores. Non-Asian varieties may lack the brilliant coloration associated with more sought after arowanas. But they all tend to generally display the most majestic traits virtually all arowanas share.

Regardless of the species of arowana you are choosing, keep two main factors in mind when you initially begin to shop:

1. Color is one of the main determinants of most arowana species’ value. Be aware that age affects coloration, and color may be induced artificially. Consider tone, luster and brightness when evaluating coloration.

2. Scales are also a measure of worth and an important indication of health. Arowana scales should be large, bright and distinctly framed. They should be evenly layered with no discoloration. Shed scales are replaced with growth, but beware of signs of infection or injury on your arowana.

In order to evaluate color and scales for optimum quality and health, it is wise to examine a large number of arowanas from as many different sources as possible. Practice is paramount to successful evaluation, and a trained eye often detects all but invisible variations or imperfections.

Examine the specimens you intend to purchase at a variety of ages if possible. If your resources are limited in terms of where you can view a large number of arowanas, turn to books or the internet instead. Note discrepancies and identify appealing traits as you visually evaluate more specimens.

As you become more experienced at evaluating the color and scales of arowanas, turn your eye to other features that also denote quality and health. Arowanas are also graded according to the condition and characteristics of the following:

• Gills
• Fins & Tail
• Mouth
• Eyes
• Shape
• Swimming Style

The trained observer is more likely to spot poor health or quality based on these criteria. Yet personal preference is also important when selecting your arowana. Never be persuaded to purchase an arowana you are not immediately and personally impressed by. As you learn to evaluate an arowana's features, personal preferences tend to evolve. Only upon reaching this level of experience can you hope to select an arowana that will meet or exceed your highest expectations both short and long-term.

Arowanas - Diseases and Cure Part 3

2007-10-05T07:10:00.000-07:00

Protruding Scales Disease
This often occurs when Dragon Fish is young. The adult Dragon Fish seldom gets affected by this disease.

Cause

Events causing extreme temperature changes within the aquarium.
Contaminated water.

Symptoms

Initial stage - Scales tilt at every 5th to 8th scale. Blood traces may be seen at the root of scales. If not arrested at this stage, scales will gradually tilt, redness may appear and the scales will not be able to protect body causing bacteria attacks to the body of the Dragon Fish. The scales may all drop off causing the body to decay and the fish to die.

Cure

Add coarse salt and increase temperature to 32°C to 34°C. Increase oxygen content in the water and change water (1/4) every 3 to 4 days. Water may be heated prior to change. Add copper sulfate medications to the water.

Rotting Gills Disease

Caused by a type of parasite which cannot be seen by the naked eye. These parasites hide in the gills sucking and absorbing all the nutrients from the Dragon Fish. The cells of these parasites multiply speedily at 25°C. This disease is highly contagious.

Cause: Polluted water or water which has not been changed for a long period.

Symptoms: The fish is breathing very fast and its color is dull.

Cure: Similar to that of the "White Spots" Disease

Stomach Ailments

This occurs when fish is very young - mainly due to eating stale food or it may have been injured by the sharp pincer of the prawns causing the internal wall of the stomach to be infected with bacteria, resulting in a swollen belly.

Symptoms

Initial stage - Swollen stomach with a red swollen anal region. At the advanced stage, the Dragon Fish may be seen to have lost its balance dipping its head downwards.

Cure

At the moment cure is limited, but commercially available fish medications may be given and water may be changed with temperature increased by 2°C to 3°C.

Arowanas - Diseases and Cure Part 2

2007-09-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

Cloudy eye

a. Wounded cornea infected by tubular bacteria
b. Bad water quality or nitrogen in the fish's body

Symptoms:

It usually happens to one of the eyes. At the beginning, the eye is mistily shaded. In later stages it's become blurred. In the end, the affected eye swells with white cotton-like cones growing outward. The Arowana can possibly die if no effective cure is applied.

Treatment:

When the eye is mistily shaded, change 1/3 of the water in the aquarium. Add some raw salt or sea-additive with a consistency of 5%. Keep the temperature at 30-33 degree C (86-91 degree F). Observe for two days, if it does not get worse, the only thing to do is to change 1/4 of the water every 3 days and adding raw salt until it heals. If there is worsening in condition, medication should be applied. Put in some soluble medication such as aureomycin, penicillin or other dedicated medication for fishes. Use the dedicated medication according to given instructions. When medications are in use, raise the temperature by 2-3 degree C and observe carefully.

It takes about 3-5 months for the Arowana to heal in the eyes. Gradually stop the usage of the medication if the eye does not swell anymore. The iris will look smaller after healing but functionally this is not a problem for the fish.

Arowanas - Diseases and Cure Part 1

2007-09-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

Gill turning

Causes: Bad water quality, decaying leftovers, due to improper feeding and excessive excrement make the water quality bad, leading to high level of nitrate, ammonia, and decreasing the level of dissolved oxygen in the water.

Limited space: When an Arowana is still growing, it needs sufficient space, together with proper nutritions. The length of the aquarium should be at least 3 times the length of the Arowana. Gills may be weak if swimming space is not sufficient.

Symptoms: In the early stage, gills cannot open and close smoothly with each breath. There are also signs of external tissue growth near the gills. The hard covers of the gill will tend to collapse, exposing the inside of the gills.

The condition will worsen if not treated. The Arowana will have difficulty in breathing; often raising it's head above the water to breathe. It will also soon stop eating, bacterial infection will set in, causing the gills to malfunction and the Arowana will die.

Treatment: Incipient stage. When the Arowana breathes irregularly, change approximately 20% of the water every 2 to 3 days. Use air pumps and air stones to increase the level of dissolved oxygen in the water.

In the very serious stages, the gill tissues are totally sclerotic. An operation is necessary to have the infected portion removed.

Black Arowana

2007-09-14T22:46:00.000-07:00

Come from the South-America and it is quite similar to the Silver Arowana having the same tapered tail . When the Black Arowana is young , its scales and fins are black with whitish stripes . But as it matures , the Black Arowana will slowly lose its color and turn to greyish color .

A Black Arowana can grow up to 40" inches if possible . It is not a protected species .

Sci. Name : Osteoglossum Ferrerai
Size : Maximum up to 39 inches
Temperature Range : 74 - 84 F
Distribution : South America (Negro River)
Price : $20 , 00 ( In Singapore Dollar )

Black Arowana will grow up to a large size and a tank about 100 gallons should be used . Black Arowana are said to grow much slower than the Silver Arowana and it is important to make sure that the yolk sac is no longer attached to it .

Because they are weak and more fragile since they are too young . Like all Arowana , it will eat live fish , crickets, frogs and small prawns . Black Arowana are rumored to be harder to raise than Silver Arowana .

Silver Arowana

2007-09-12T10:46:00.000-07:00

Come from the South-America and it is quite similar to the Black Arowana having the same tapered tail . Its scales and fins are silver .

It is not a protected species . There are Red-tail Silver Arowana !

Sci. Name : Osteoglossum Bicirrhosum
Size : Maximum up to 37 inches
Temperature Range : 75 - 86F
Distribution : Guyana , the Orinoco and Amazon Basin.
Price : $25 , 00 ( In Singapore Dollar )

Is also the most common Arowana you can find easily in most aquaria .This species was the first one known among the members of the family Osteoglossidae .

Like the Black Arowana , it originated from South America and it has the same long tapered tail but it is totally silver in color .

Silver Arowana can grow to about 47" inches which is the longest Arowana of all . It is not a protected species and can easily be bought . The Silver Arowana is said to have a very large appetite .

Crossback Golden Arowana

2007-09-09T06:54:00.000-07:00

This is found in Malaysia and sometime called Malayan Bony tongue. It has golden scales to the fourth column and pinkish abdomen when young.

When the fish grow up, the golden scales will escalate to the fifth column hence cross-back) and the pink abdomen disappear.

The scales may have different base color such as gold, silver or blue. Blue being the rarest.

The scales can also divided into thin or thick golden frame. Thin frame scales blue base cross back gold are one of the most demanded arowana and hence often the most expensive.

Green Arowana

2007-09-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

Is considered the lowest grade of the Asian Arowana . It scales are silvery-white to white color with slightly green fins .

It is also the cheapest of the Asian Arowana and not a protected species . But it still have a quantity of a fine Arowana .

Green Arowana is found in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. The scales are not bright and often translucent with some grey or green color. The color is even throughout the body (no dark-top). The tail can be grey, purplish-grey or green in color.

This fish is generally shorter then its Asian relatives. This is the most affordable Asian arowana.

Gold Arowanas

2007-09-03T01:43:00.000-07:00

Is also one of the expensive Arowanas around and it is sought after by many Chinese businessman. This Arowana is believed to bring good wealth and prosperity to the owner because of its beautiful gold color which look like gold bar .

Name: Scleropages formosus
Origin: Southeast Asia
Size: 90 cm
pH: 7.0
GH: 8
Temp: 27°C

It's rewarding yet a very risky to own this kind of species. Considering that they are endangered and very expensive, to which some require papers for authentication, it's very challenging. I should say it's an investment, especially for some businessmen who love to own this one, because of their mythical beliefs. It's said that it can bring good luck and fortune because of its gold color, symbolizing the dragon. This fish is famous in Asian countries. Some stores make it as their front display to attract costumers and fortune.

They cannot be bred in aquarium and can live alone. If you're planning to add some other species be sure to choose them carefully. I would suggest those that swim in the bottom like rays, or some fast moving fish.To ensure the beauty of this fish, you shouldn't put anything in the tank to avoid scale injury, because they are soft.

Red-Tail Arowana (Red Tail Golden):

Is a common Asian Arowana in Singapore . Its scales slightly become gold as it matures and the fins are red in color . When the Red-Tail Gold Arowana is young , it look the same as the 1 1/2 Grade Red Arowana since both have red fins and tails . But as the Arowana matured , a Red-Tail Arowana will have red-colored fins and tails with shiny body scales .

Commonly known as Red Tail Golden (RTG) or Indonesia Golden Arowana, they are classified under the golden varieties as with the Malaysian Golden or Cross Back Golden. It is found in Pekan Baru of Indonesia. The prices for the Red Tail Golden are more affordable as compared to the Cross Back Golden. The reasons for this is that this fish seldom attain 24K gold as the Cross-Back Golden would and the golden color of Red Tail Golden Arowanas will never cross over its back even when the fish is matured or fully grown. It is thus not as great looking as compared to one that is “whole piece gold". Most Red Tail Golden arowanas will have its golden color reaching the fourth row of the scales and the better ones will have it's golden color reaching the fifth row. And, just like the Cross Back Golden varieties, Red Tail Golden also have different scales base color in either blue, green and gold. Young RTGs will have a duller overall color as compared to Cross Back Golden which is neatly defined, shiny and glittering with scales reaches the fifth row.

Generally, the Red Tail Golden is the tougher of the two Golden types and can grow bigger in size but is the more aggressive of the two. Thus, it is more difficult to raise them together in one single huge tank (preferably 8 - 9 fishes) as compared to the Malaysia Gold. It is also protected by the CITES, even thought it is in more abundance in the wild. Apart from that, its tail, finnage and lip color are very identical between these two types of golden varieties.

Malaysian Gold Arowana:

Is very rare and beautiful . Like its name says , it is from Malaysian country . Its bluish scales reflect back nice colorful blue color and is sought after by many . Even a small one can fetch a very high price . It is a protected species .

Red Arowanas

2007-09-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

Asian Arowana:
Is the most famous and expensive Arowana in the world . They are currently Red , Gold , Green and a mixture of both types of Asian Arowana . All the Asian Arowana is protected species because they are near extinct except for Yellow-Tail and Green Arowana .

Sci. Name : Scleropages Formosus
Size : Maximum up to 36 inches
Temperature Range : 75 - 85 F Distribution : Southeast Asia (S. Thailand, S. Vietnam, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Indonesia)

Red Arowana is found in Kalimantan and Sumatra of Indonesia. They can be divided into 1st grade red and 2nd grade red. 1st grade red can have different intensity of color ranging from yellow to orange to red to blood-red and chili-red. The higher intensity red is more desirable and often demand very high price. It is often difficult to differentiate 1st grade red from 2nd grade red when the fish is young.

Young 1st grade red's tail and anac fin have intense red color and their scales are shiny gold in color with some green at the base. Young 2nd grade red has orange fins and the scales color are no obvious and often whitish silver. When the fish grows, in 1st grade red, the color of the fins remains red, their scales and the gill cover will develop its color. There type of color it will developed into depends on which type of 1st grade red you have. On the other hand, the adult 2nd grade red will only have pinkish or orange colored fins, their scales and gill color will only developed pink or orange color.

Is by far the most beautiful and famous Arowana among all the other Arowana . The scales and fins are totally red in color and it is very expensive . There are also ruby-red and Chili-red Arowana .The red Arowana is very popular among the Chinese and is believed to bring prosperity and wealth to the owner. It is considered an endangered and protected species . There are 1st Grade and 1 1/2 Grade Red Arowana.

The Red Arowana is arguably the most prized aquarium fish in the world. It is probably the most expensive fish in the world on the basis of the highest dollar amount ever paid for a single fish. Its price variables include size, condition of body parts and overall body shape, color, and wealth with motivation on the part of the buyer. A large Red Arowana will usually command tens of thousands of dollars and in some cases hundreds of thousands."

There are basically four different varieties of Red Arowanas namely Blood Red, Chili Red, Orange Red and the Golden Red. In recent years, Chili Red, Blood Red, Orange Red and Golden Red are grouped together and termed Super Red or `First Grade Red'. It has made the termed `Super Red' inferior since Orange Red and Golden Red do not bear the qualities of the former two and they have only comparatively colors appear either in orange or golden orange. The usage of terms has indeed changed over the years and the term Super Red is now becoming more commonly used among breeders when naming their red arowanas.

Pearl Arowanas

2007-08-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

Australia Spotted Arowana:

Is nearly the same as the Pearl Arowana except that the fins and tail are darker in color . The scales have small rounded spot instead of cresent-shape colored spot . Noticed the small red spot on the scales above . It is not a protected species .

Sci. Name : Scleropages leichardti
Size : Maximum up to 37 inches
Temperature Range : 74 - 80 F
Distribution : Northern Australia
Price : $25( In Singapore Dollar )

Australia Pearl Arowana:

Is quite a beautiful Arowana and it is quite similar to the Asian Arowana . Except that the Australia Pearl Arowana have smaller and more scales with red spots .

Asian Arowana has 5 layers (horizontally) of scales whereas the Australia Arowana has 7 layers of scales . The color range from coppery-gold to gold color .

The Pearl Arowana have crescent-shape colored scales and the tail are usually black color with small gold spot . It is normal to see the Arowana gulping at the surface .

The Australian Arowanas are known to be very aggressive than any other Arowana . It is not a protected species .

Sci. Name : Scleropages jardini
Size : Maximum up to 36 inches
Temperature Range : 74 - 80 F
Distribution : Widespread through Australia.
Price : $25 ( In Singapore Dollar )

DECORATION/ TRANSFERING AROWANA TO A NEW TANK

2007-08-29T00:58:00.000-07:00

DECORATION

i) If you must decorate your Arowana tanks, do not overdid it! Arowana is a typical curious fish and will always end up injuring itself! (I've encountered these!) So, be very careful what to use! Avoid sharp edges bogwood and rocks! May I suggest to let the tank bare! The advantages that you will get are easier cleaning of waste/dirt from the secretion by your Arowana which is visible with bare tanks and most important aspect is a cleaner and healthier environment for your Arowana to live in! Trust me

ii) Dark background will stand up the look of your Arowana Fish.

(iii) Aquarium light is a must if you would like to admire the elegant looking of your "dragon"! Please use only flourescent bulb that was meant for Aquarium use! The color of these Aquarium bulb when "lighted" is pinkish-white. DO NOT use those normal flourescent bulb(for home use), it will only promote algae growth in your tank!

TRANSFERING AROWANA TO A NEW TANK

(i) Learnt my lesson well! DO NOT USE any kind of aquarium nets to catch your Arowana! You will easily injured them and these dragon fish might broke all the beautiful, elegant looking fins easily! Therefore, how small too the size, for goodness sake,USE plastic bags! Use 2 layers. DO NOT USE 1 layer only as it could easily be broken (plastic bag) by the sharp pointing front part or teeth of the Arowana!

(ii) In the case of a new but cycled tank, the best is to stabilised/aclimatised the fish first before letting go to the new tank! Making use about 60% of the water from the old tank will make aclimatisation very much faster! (after the Arowana was caught in plastic bag) Some people just release Arowana to the new tank after this but if you would like to be more careful(recommended as a sudden PH and temperature change can results in DEATH!) follow steps below:-

(iii) Float the plastic bag containing the Arowana to the new cycled tank!These cycled tank to my meaning is it has already "running" smoothly until the Nitrifying Bacteria has already established in your tank to absorb all the harmful Ammonia and Nitrite in the aquarium tank!One more tip, put in other fish like Gold Fish 3 days before you wished to transfer your Arowana to these new tank to actually "test" the water!

(iv) After about 10 mins, open up the plastic bag, put in one cup of the water from the new tank into the plastic bag containing your Arowana,repeating after every 5 mins for about 3 times
Release the Arowana, slowly to tank and watch very closely! Normally, it will be very timid which is very normal as your Arowana have not conditioned itself with the new environment! Switch on the lights and if he jumps everytime, try switching off the lights to calm him down. Black water/Ketapang leaves extract will be very good in calming him down! And remember, DO NOT OVERFILLED these solution! Once he calmed down (depends on fish, from few hours to days) try feeding him with crickets as a start. After that he will starts to swim all over the tank to signify himself as the Majestic Dragon King of the Aquarium for all to admire!

DROPPED SCALES/ FINS, TANK SPACE, FILTRATION

2007-08-26T23:43:00.000-07:00

DROPPED SCALES/FINS

Leave it alone if not serious(1-2 scales),"clean" break/torn of fins,just change water,add salts and also some solution made from natural herbs like "AQUAPLUS" to speed up the recovery and also to protect the scales from minor scratches.Very safe indeed! The scales/fins will grow back within weeks for young Arowanas but will be slightly later for adult Arowanas.

TANK SPACE

Decide properly when buying tanks,taking into accounts the size of your Aro when grown up! Minimum recommended size is 4ft x 2 ft x 2ft.

FILTRATION

(i).It will be best if you could afford the external canister fitration system. Very efficient in filtration,very good in dealing with Nitrifying Bacteria(Biological filtration)and most of all,less disturbance to your Arowana meaning less stress to them! Always remember,STRESS could make your Arowana weak in terms of fighting against diseases!

(ii).But if you were to be very tight on budget,get yourself the minimum,an overhead filtration system! I still don't recommend the internal filtration system(in the tank) as a lot of disturbances to your Arowana!Also it will take up the aquarium space(internally)and most of all Arowana will get stress very easily due to hands medling inside his tank area thinking that it was about to be cornered and caught!

(iii).Weekly cleaning/maintenance is a must and replenishment of Nitrifying Bacteria solution like "Cycle" or "Ocean Free" is a mandatory thing to be done if overhead or internal filtration system was selected!

Water Parameters And Sickness

2007-08-25T20:20:00.000-07:00

WATER PARAMETERS

(i).Arowana require an ultimate water quality to live in. Change water at least once a week about 40%. It will be best to change water twice a week(25%-30%),if you have the time. Arowana's sickness mostly is due to bad/dirty water condition!

(ii).Arowana prefer slightly acidic water PH of 6.5-7.5. Use black water extract or "ketapang" leaves which existed in their natural habitat!Always check PH after about 30 mins of water change!

NOTE*** Do not overfilled these black water!Indirectly,it could kill your Arowana as the PH value will be very much softer(if overfilled)!

SICKNESS

(i).As mentioned above,most sickness are related to bad water condition! So, if your Arowana experienced any sickness, DO NOT "jump the gun" and blindly add medication! Wrong dosage and medication will kill Arowana instead of the actual sickness of the fish!

(ii).Change water(40%-50%) first, add aquarium salts, put more aeration(oxygen bubbles), increase temperature to about 30-32deg by using heater gradually(1 hr = 1 deg), monitor your Arowana closely for about 5-7 days before deciding whether to give medication or not! Normally, it will healed without medication! But if you MUST give medication, ALWAYS read instructions very very carefully! DO NOT OVERDOSE!!!

(iii).DROPPED SCALES/FINS
Leave it alone if not serious(1-2 scales), "clean" break/torn of fins, just change water, add salts and also some solution made from natural herbs like "AQUAPLUS" to speed up the recovery and also to protect the scales from minor scratches. Very safe indeed! The scales/fins will grow back within weeks for young Arowanas but will be slightly later for adult Arowanas.

HOW TO START THESE AROWANAS KEEPING HOBBY?

2007-08-22T13:21:00.000-07:00

There are few considerations you must think of and carefully examine before "jumping" into these hobby!

1. Do you have the time?
2. Do you have the patience and passion for these fishes(Arowana)?
3. Any objection from your family members?

Just think properly and decide very carefully as if you just do it on impulse, most slightly you will abondoned these fishes halfway through your hobby! So forget it! Let say you are one of those few who can managed time efficiently from career,family,love and hobby then you may proceed with these very exciting and challenging hobby of these Arowana keeping!

STEP 1

1). Hunt for a tank.
Recommended minimum size is a 4ft x 2ft x 2ft. Tips:-try and hunt for a second hand tank and must come with a top cover(wood cabinet).

STEP 2

1). Get a filter. If you can afford,get an external canister filtration system.Tips:-eheim or fluval brand is good enough.

2). If you can't afford one,get the overhead filtration system but be prepared for more maintenance weekly job!

STEP 3

1). Set up your tank with the bought filter(I'll used external canister filtration system as illustration).

2). Fill up the tank with tap water up to 80% of the height of the tank. Set up your external canister filter. My recommendation:-
(i). The lower housing use pre-filter ceramics and zeolite carbon for mechanical and chemical system.
(ii). The centre housing use bio-balls or bio-max normally supplied by filter manufacturers for Biological system.
(iii). The top housing with the foam for powerful mechanical filtration before entering the tank.

3). Run the filter and add anti-chlorine(read instruction on the dosage)and bacteria solution(cycle,ocean free,etc brand)into the water.

4). Now, there are basically 2 ways of cycling the tank:-

(i).By fishless cycle method. These method is useful and easy to be implemented. Buy ammonia solution(pure ammonia-liquid type)and induced it into the tank's water.Pour about 10 drips daily till the seventh day....check the ammonia level daily. You will see that the ammonia level will slowly rise and peak before reducing till zero reading thus indicating that the Nitrosomanas bacteria has established itself! At these point you will see that your Nitrite level will peak(normal)....just be it...it will take days as the Nitrobactor bacteria whose job is to tackle these nitrite has not established yet! Check daily till nitrite reading falls to zero. Confirmed check the ammonia and nitrite level to see zero reading....

(ii). Fish method...Buy some cheap fishes and introduced it into the tank. These fishes will urinate and excrete producing ammonia and the procedure will be the same as above but will takes slightly longer time to fully established your tank! Make sure confirmed ammonia and nitrite reading is zero(same as fishless method)...

5). Add black water extract into the "cycled" tank. DO NOT OVERFILLED!

STEP 4

1). Slowly "hunt" for your dream Arowana fish. May I suggest you if possible start with a RTG(Red tailed Golden)as not only it is cheaper but will turn quite outstanding once grown up and also if let say you failed.........sorry to say this! At least it won't burnt your pocket out!Remember this is your first ever Arowana fish that you have and mistakes might be common if you are not careful! But not to worry though as Arowana is quite a hardy fish and you can always get a better ones once you mastered the art!

Food For Arowanas - Part 2

2007-08-20T06:11:00.000-07:00

Crustaceans

Live Prawns/shrimps:
Prawns/shrimps are rich in vitamin A which enhance arowana's color. They are very nutritious food. Avoid feeding baby arowana shrimps as thier shells are hard to digest and may cause intestinal injury. Do not leave live prawns/shrimps in arowana tank as they encourage arowana to search downward constantly for them and hence may precipitate drop eye. Once again, there is also a potential risk of disease transmission.

Prawn Meat:
Use only fresh prawns. Avoid frozen prawns unless you are very sure of its freshness as denatured protein may lead to liver and internal problems in long term. Removal of head is recommand as it is hard to digest and also the gill may have high concentration of germs/toxin. Prepare the prawn in bite sizes and wash it before use.

Krill:
Krill is a nutritious food and it is readily available. Use appropriate size krill for diferrent size arowana. Crush the shell then soak the krill to soften the shell proir to feeding baby arowana as hard krill may cause intestinal injury.

Worms

Bloodworms:
Bloodworms are mainly used to feed baby arowana. They a nutritious food. Rinse away impurities before use. Do not feed it when frozen as it may cause intestinal upset. Avoid old age bloodworms as it is hard for baby arowana to digest. Live bloodworms is preferrable but commercially available bloodworms are equally good when fresh. Freeze dry bloodworms may also used.

Tubifex Worms:
Tubifex worms are collected in highly contaminated drain and should be avoid unless properly treated. Commercially breed tubifex worms claim to be cleaner but its source are sometime questionable. Remember the golden rule: "If in Doubt, Don't Use It". This goes to frozen tubifex worms too. Freeze dry tubifex worms are cleaner but possibility of germs survived through very low temperature cannot be ruled out. High heavy metal content in the source is also a worry.

Mealworms:
Mealworms are healthy and nutritious. Avoid feeding them to baby arowana as thier hard shell is difficult to digest and may cause digestive problem or/and intestinal injury. Use worms that have just shed its shell. Darker color mean older shell. So choose pale looking mealworm. Drowning the worm proir to feeding is recomanded if the fish accept dead worm. Head can be removed to minimise digestive problem.

Earthworms:
Earthworms are very healthy and nutritious. Risk of disease transmission is minimal. Squeezing the soil out before feeding is recommanded. Or better still, feed the earthworm with nutritious food to clear the soil and transfer the nutrient. This is a highly recommanded food by most aquarist.

Pellets/sticks Food
There are many commercail pellets/sticks food available. Their nutritious value varies. Choose reputable brand. Pellets/sticks food specially formulated for arowana is recommanded. However, this should not be the only food of arowana.

Amphibians

Frogs:
Frogs are very nutritious food for arowana and are commonly used in Asia. You should be certain that the frogs are not poisonous before feeding them to arowana. Frogs should be quaranteen for a few days before use as they are often collected in Padi(padi)field where insecticide is frequently used. Do not feed death frog to arowana. Frogs are believed to enhance arowana's color.

Lizard/Gecko:
Lizards and geckos are also very nutritious food for arowana and are often loved by the fish. They are usually not commercially available or demand a very high price. Geckos is found in almost every house in tropical region. Catching them is hard work but often rewarded as they enhances arowana's color. Quarenteen is also recommanded as they might have eaten insecticide contamination insects, eventhough the probabilty is small.

Food for Arowana

2007-08-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

Introduction

Arowana is a carnivorous fish. In wild, its food consist mainly insects, fishes, prawns, worms and small amphibians. Live food are preferred by arowana though they can be trained to accept other food. Variety in food is a MUST to avoid nutritional deficiency.

Small arowana(below 15cm> should be fed three times a day, medium arowana<15-35cm)>

Live food is generally more nutritious then its counterpart. However, the risk of introducing disease into the tank is increased when live food is used. This is especially true when the live food is waterborn(live in water). Live food should be quaranteen for at least a few days before feeding to the arowana. If you have doubt in certain food, the golden rule is "If in Doubt, Don't Use It". There is always other types of food available.

Insects

Crickets:
Crickets are nutritious food for arowana. The risk of disease transmission is very low. Use the appropriate size crickets for different size arowanas. Hard shell of crickets should be removed when feed to baby arowana to avoid intestinal injury. Use only farmraise crickets as wild caught crickets may be contaminated with insecticide. You may feed the crickets vitamine A rice food like carrot before feeding it to arowana. This is a good way to transfer nutrient. Vitamin A enhance color of arowana(esp red). Crickets may be frozen to avoid hassle, the percentage of nutrients retained when frozen is uncertain and require further study.

Cockroach:
Similar to cricket. Do not feed dead crocroach to arowana as it might have been killed by insecticide. It is advisable to keep the crocroach for a couple of days before using it, any insecticide contaminated crocroach would be death by then.

Centipedes:
Centipedes are very nutritious food for arowana. They are commonly used in Asia to enhance and intensify the color of arowana. Unfortunately the availability of this food is low. Frozen centipedes are more readily available then live one.

Fishes

Live Fishes:
Almost any bite size fish that is not poisonous can be arowana's food. Feeder gold, meadow, baby koi, baby catfish and small chidlid are commonly used. There is pontential risk of disease transmission when this type of food is used. Quaranteen is a MUST as it will screen out most(but not all) sick fishes. To transfer nutrient or medication to arowana, you may feed them to feeder fish right before using it. Some fishes, like goldfish are rich in fat and will precipitate drop eye problem. Use them sparingly. Goldfish is also believed to contained enzymes that will lead to nutritional deficiency in arowana, use it sparingly or avoid using it.

Fish Meat:
Fresh fish meat can be used. Trim all the fat away and cut them to bite size, wash them before use to avoid contamination of the water. Avoid frozen fish meat as denatured protein may lead to liver and internal organ sickness in long run.

To be continued ...

Mythical Beliefs

2007-08-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

In Chinese culture, the dragon represents good luck, strength and power. Especially in the Southern region of China, people believes that a dragon can ward off evil and brings good luck.

Dragon is a significant icon in Chinese and other Asian cultures. During Chinese New Year and other auspicious occasion, people celebrate with Dragon dancing and if you are born in the Year of the Dragon, you are considered to give you a head start in life. The Arowana, also known as the Dragon fish because of its slender body and its distinct and reflective scales makes it resemble the mythical and mighty dragon.

Business man started keeping the Arowana, especially the Asian Arowana to maintain a properous and growing business. Geomancer often would encourage their clients to keep a Blood Red Arowana at home or office to bring good luck and ward off evil.

These are the few of the many reasons why people keep Arowana:

Incarnation of the mythical dragon
Brings Health, Happiness and Good Luck
Cast out evil
Uphold Families Togetherness
Vital to Business Success
Predicts Business Affairs

Different Arowanas

2007-08-07T23:26:00.000-07:00

Below are different Types of Arowanas

Black Arowanas

One of the other 3 arowana species that live in South America particularly the Amazon river, while the other two being the silver arowana and the giant arapaima. It is said that the black arowana is one of the tamest if not the tamest of all arowana species or while other black arowana owners have often stated that this arowana tends to be shy, often retreating at the back of internal filters. They closely resemble the silver arowana in its body structure although the coloration of the fins maybe slightly different when they are juveniles, a black arowana when it becomes an adult, its fins would have an olive green to a black line or sheen at the bottom of its fins.

Red Golden Arowanas

One of the most beautiful among the Asian Arowanas, they are also one of the most expensive and sought after by arowana enthusiast. It is reported that the red golden arowana most commonly referred to as the RTG has a nasty temper when placed together with other arowanas. Many RTG owners advice that this arowana species should have less lighting as possible, and together with a black background, it is said that its golden coloration would be able to spread up to the 5th-6th degree of its scales.

Super Red Arowanas

Probably the most revered, respected and the most sought after of all the arowanas that is why it commands a high price. There are many kinds of red arowanas such as the BLOOD, CHILLI, PURPLE RED, the 1.5 grade etc. This is due to the recent technology in arowana breeding that is why there are many different tones of red arowanas available today than let us say, 10 years ago. The chinese believe that the red arowana is the reincarnation of the dragon so that is why many chinese establishments keep a red arowana as a sign of prosperity.

Tips Of Rearing Fishes - Part 2

2007-08-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

We shall continue on...

Tip 3: Start with sturdy or hardy fish to get the confidence and with fewer fish.

Selecting Tropical Fish

Generally, fish in an aquarium must have more or less the same requirements in terms of water quality, light and food. However, that does not mean that the fishes must be of the same species. We recommend starting with some hardy fish and later on you can upgrade your choice.

1. Possible Choices:

Barb: Tiger Barb, Green Tiger Barb, Albino Tiger Barb, etc.
Tetra: Rosy Fin Tetra, Black Phantorn Tetra, Congo Tetra, etc.
Cichids: Blood Parrot, etc.
Catfish: Albino Corydora, Sterbal Coridorais, Panda Corydora, etc.

2. Releasing the fishes in the tank:

After buying the fish, bring them home and follow these steps of releasing the fish:

Place the transport bag into the aquarium for approx. 20 minutes to equalize the temperature.
Scoop off 1/3 of the water from the transport bag and replace it with the water from the aquarium.
Drain off all the water from the transport bag and release the newcomers into the aquarium.

Tip 4: Don't overfeed the fish.

Feeding

There are also some useful tips involve in feeding the fishes so that they will be healthy. Below are 5 tips for your references.

Do not feed more than what the fishes can consume in two to three minutes.
Feed one or two times a day. It's always better to keep the fish hungry.
Take out the excess food to avoid contaminating the water.
If possible, try to designate only one person in the household to feed the fish.
As far as possible, use only pellet or flakes fish food and avoid live food or even frozen food. Try feeding with a variety of fish food.

Tip 5: Prevention is better than cure.

Tank Maintanance

You should always maintain your fish tank regularly to ensure it is clean for the fishes to grow healthily. Below are the steps you should follow when maintaining the tank.

Change the 1/4 to 1/3 of the water every 2-3 weeks or 10% once a week.
Wash the filtering media using the water you have siphoned off the aquarium.
Test the water quality every week or two.
Check the health of the fish daily. Observe your fish carefully and at the same time, check for abnormal behavior. Look for signs of illness, disease, bloated abdomen or ragged fins.

Treatments

Fish sometimes do fall sick. Advice on effective treatments can be obtained from good aquarium books, aquarium shop owners, or simply reading instruction from various medicine bottles. There are some points to note.

If possible, separate the sick fish into a separate container/tank for treatment.
Add medicine directly into the tank with a running filter. Since some medicine will kill all beneficial bacteria that have built up, after treatment, it is advisable to add in some good bacteria. Beneficial bacteria are available from the aquarium shops.

Tips Of Rearing Fishes - Part 1

2007-08-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

There are 5 simple tips to follow before rearing any fishes. I'll spilt into 2 parts for this topic.

Please do follow especially for beginners. It'll save your fishes from dying as well as saving your pockets :)

Tip 1: Buy the necessary aquarium accessories at least a few days before buying the fish.

Aquarium Tank
Size:
Generally speaking, the larger the aquarium tank, the easier it is to maintain. For beginners in this new and fun hobby, a 2ft tank or 80 to 100 litres capacity tank is recommended.

Site:
An aquarium tank should not be exposed to direct sunlight as sunlight encourages unwanted algae growth and may cause the temperature of water to rise.

Decoration:
Forget about make nice decoration first if you are just a beginner. You can add those when you know to to keep your fishes alive and healthy. However, if you really like to have those, seek the advice from an experienced shop owner.

Tip 2: Don't save on filter.

Filtering System
Buy a best filter that you can afford with your budget and you will save alot later on.

Function:
No aquarium can "function" in the long term without permanent water filtration. The filter removes sisened matter and keeps the water clear. More importantly, its second function: The benefical bacteria in the filter breaks down the harmful fish waste into biologically safe compounds.

Capacity:
Use a good brand filter with the right capacity. Reading the instructions from the manufacturers may help you to choose the right filter. Generally, over-capacity is better than under-capacity.

Lighting
Lighting is important for optical reasons. Light shows off the fish and plants to their best advantage - without artificial lights, the aquarium would be half attractive.
Fluorescent tube is the most common form of lighting, is very economical and provides good illumination.

Set-up Steps

Please follow the below 4 steps carefully when you first start fish rearing.
1. After buying all the neccessary aquarium accessories, choose a location to place your fish tank.
2. Tap water contains chlorine that is harmful to fish. Condition the tap water by either having left the water overnight or using anti-chlorine agent.
3. Fill the tank to 2/3 full of water.
4. Install the filter and let it run for a few days before buying the fish.

Different Types Of Arowanas

2007-08-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

There are different types of Arowanas, classified into Asian, South American, Australian and African.

Asian Arowanas
(a). Super Red Arowana(Chili and Blood)
(b). 1.5 Grade Red Arowana(xbreed between Red and yellow tail Arowana)
(c). Malaysian Crossback Arowana
(d). Green Arowana
(e). Red Tailed Golden Arowana
(f). Yellow Tailed Arowana

South American Arowanas
(a). Silver Arowana
(b). Black Arowana

Australian Arowanas
(a). Pearl Arowana
(b). Golden Pearl Arowana
(c). Red Pearl Arowana (very rare)

African Arowanas
(a). Araipaima Gigas(not suitable for aquarium tank rearing)

The main difference between the Asian Arowanas and the rest are the scales! Asian Aros have 5 steps of scales comparing to their counterparts which are having 7 steps of scales.

All About Arowanas !

2007-08-04T18:49:00.000-07:00

I just got my very first Arowana and very excited about it.
So I thought might well share my experiences here together with all Arowana's Lovers!

I'll write all the tips and lessons learnt here, so whatever mistakes I made, please learnt from them and do not made the same mistakes again!

Ok enough of talking, let's get started !