Arowana Care - A Brief Introduction To Arowanas by:Robert Khaw

Arowanas, also known as "dragon fish", from the family Osteoglossidae

, are magnificent freshwater fish that somehow look prehistoric. They have a bony protrusion inside their large mouth which is why they are also known as "bone-tongues". This bone tongue is used by the fish to further emaciate its food by grinding the tongue against the teeth that are in the roof of the fish's mouth. Arowanas usually grow to around 3 to 4 feet in length in captivity but there are reports that they can grow up to 8 feet or 2m in the wild. There are only six known species of Arowana in the world, mainly found in South America, Australia, Africa and Asia.

Another interesting fact about the Arowana is that it's a part-time air breather, meaning it can absorb oxygen from the air if the water has low levels of oxygen. The fish does this by sucking air into its swim bladder, which is full of capillaries much like the lung tissue of mammals.

Arowana fish have a rapid growth cycle, often reaching lengths of 17-23 inches by the time they are 3 or 4 years old. By this time the fish may be a bit mature already so the differences in gender may be obvious. The males have a shallower body, larger head and mouth, and a longer tail than the female Arowana. Males are also more brightly colored than the females and are also more competitive when it comes to food and territory.

Being a natural predator, the Arowana generally eats any living thing that can fit into its large mouth. The Arowana feeding habit is usually constituted of small fish, frogs, and insects. But there are reports that the Arowanas can leap clean out of the water and devour perched birds and even the occasional bat or two, this is an easy feat for this very powerful fish.

The Arowana is a very popular fish among aquarium enthusiasts, especially the Asian variety. The Asian species of Arowanas have the brightest coloration of all the known species. The most popular is the Golden Arowana, which has shimmering scales that look like they might actually be made of gold. But the rarest, and most expensive, is the Super Red Arowana, which has a deep, blood-red color.

The Arowana is prized not only for its beauty, but also for their believed mystical attributes as well. In most parts of Asia it is believed that the Arowana carries good fortune, due to its resemblance with the mythical dragon.

The Arowana truly is a remarkable fish, truly deserving the title of "King of the Aquarium".

About the author

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 http://www.arowanasecrets.com.

If you are starting out on rearing an Arowana, don't forget to grab the "5 Steps to Setting Up Your Arowana Tank - Keeping It Simple, Clean and Quick" *FREE* report at http://www.arowanasecrets.com that is usually priced at $17.

POST COMMENT

Choosing Your Chicken Coop Design by:Elaine Jeans Amazing Tips to Help You Get Quality Falconry Supplies at Affordable Prices by:Braden Fred Shih Tzu Training- Dealing with Separation Anxiety by:Camille Goldin 6 Things to Consider Before Getting A Pet Pig by:Olga Havran How To Pick Winning Dogs Time After Time christmas-bird-try-duck Finding Quality Cat Arthritis Treatment Keeping The Needs Of Pets In Mind When Traveling 3.15 Gome Three Trick Uncontested Top Dog Festival Zhu Quan Make A Smart Change With The Help Of Firebird Hood Discover How To Cure Blastomycosis In Dogs Details Greatest Dog Tips Ever (Part One) Bird Control Products To Keep Birds Away