Asian arowana

Scleropages formosus

Also known as Dragonfish, Golden arowana, Red arowana, Green arowana, Super red arowana

FreshwaterFish

Asian arowana (Scleropages formosus) — Scoute-dich · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–86°F (24–30°C)
pH: 6.5–7.5
Adult size: 35.4 in (90 cm)
Minimum tank: 264 gal (1,000 L)
Temperament: Aggressive
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Top
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Very rare
Origin: Native to slow blackwater rivers, swamps and flooded forest across Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Family: Osteoglossidae

Overview

This is a protected, permit-heavy fish: check your local laws before buying, and only source chipped, certified captive-bred stock. Adults reach about 90 cm and need at least 1000 litres with a secure lid, water at 24 to 30 C and pH 6.5 to 7.5. Keep singly or with large tankmates, since they are territorial and predatory. Feed insects, prawns and pellets, and avoid a diet of only feeder fish.

In the wild

The Asian arowana is a heavy-bodied bony-tongue famous for its large metallic scales, which come in red, gold and green strains. It patrols the surface of slow rivers and flooded forest, taking insects, fish and small vertebrates. It is one of the most expensive and tightly regulated aquarium fish in the world.

Good to know

Scleropages formosus has been listed on CITES Appendix I since 1975, so legal specimens are captive-bred and individually microchipped and documented. It is a paternal mouthbrooder that produces a small number of very large young. Several colour forms are treated by some authors as separate species.

Did you know

In parts of Asia the Asian arowana is treated as a living symbol of luck and prosperity, and top show specimens have sold for tens of thousands of dollars.