# Arowana Care - Beginner's Guide to Raising an Arowana



## Robert Khaw (Jul 10, 2010)

So you're thinking of having an Arowana as a pet, but have no idea where to start? Hopefully this article will be able to help you in selecting and caring for your Arowana.

First, you have to know which kind of Arowana is most suited for you. The cheapest and easiest to get among the species of Arowanas are the Silver Arowana, these can be found in almost all aquarium supply stores and they can grow up to 40 inches long. Another popular species is the Black Arowana; in the wild they can grow to be as big as the silver Arowana but this seldom happens in captive fishes. The most sought after is the Golden Arowana (or Asian Arowana); these fish are very popular in Southeast Asia where they are thought to bring good luck, especially in business. Since the Golden Arowana is in the endangered species list you should take care on where you purchase them; make sure that they have the necessary permits and documents to import and handle these fishes.

Now let's talk about taking care of your Arowana. Since these fish can grow up to 4 feet in length it's only natural to house them in a large aquarium; a 100 gallon tank should be enough for young Arowanas but as it gets older and bigger, consider moving it to a bigger aquarium. Arowanas are active swimmers and they need ample space to turn and move around in the tank. These fish are also known to jump up to 2m high in the wild so it's better to cover your aquarium to prevent your fish from jumping out of the tank and onto the living room floor. You should also invest in a good kind of water filter as these big fish leave big wastes. And also, Arowana's are natural predators so having them share a tank with other fish is a very bad idea.

On to feeding Arowanas, these fish are mainly carnivores so a diet of meat and fish are recommended. Fish pellets can sometimes be used but some species prefer their food to be alive. There are reports that some fish are known to starve to death just because they don't like their food. They mostly like meal worms, shrimp (freshwater kind, not saltwater shrimp), and small fish.

If taken care of properly, these fish can sometimes outlive their owners, just be sure to check each and every aspect of the aquarium and adjust them as needed by the fish.

The Arowana fish is easy to keep, but hard to master when it comes to bringing out its best colors. Expose your Arowana's true colors using the simplest, laziest but most effective Arowana care techniques from Arowana Secrets Revealed | *Breakthrough* Guide on Arowana care and Arowana food.

Article Source: Robert Khaw - EzineArticles.com Expert Author


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