An arowana is a great fish to have as a pet but some people might be afraid to look in to it because they think its difficult. Hopefully with the few tips I will now give you in this article you might be more inclined to think about having an arowana for a pet instead of an ordinary run of the mill aquarium.
Arowanas are known as one of the largest freshwater fish to be kept in an aquarium. They normally grow to a length of between 3 to 4 foot. In the right conditions and with the right feeding they can reach this size relatively quick. So when starting out you might want to think about your tank size early just to save you the hassle of having to upgrade your tank down the line. My advice would be to get a big enough tank from the start. The recommended tank size would be 180cm x 75cm x 60cm (length x width x height). A tank this size will allow the arowana to grow to its natural size and avoid stunting the fishes growth.
The tank itself should be placed on an appropriate accompanying support or a strong sturdy table that will take the weight of the tank when filled with water. The background colour you choose for the tank will be based on what kind of arowana you are going to get. A darker background colour better suits the red arowana, but a white or lighter background colour better suits a golden or silver arowana. Another very important aspect of the tank is to make sure that it has a cover as arowanas are known to be jumpers. It would be a shame to wake up some morning and find your arowana laying on your sitting room carpet.
Direct sunlight is also not good for your arowana or tank. The arowana fish can be very receptive to changes in light. Having proper lighting will be very important for the arowana but also for your viewing pleasure. Arowanas come in a range of different colors so having the best lighting will not only help your fish but also show off there unique colors.
When the arowana is small you are better to get it used to a wide range of foods. This is so they will get a taste for them right from the start. You will also find out which foods they like and which they dont as they sometimes can be fussy eaters. The younger arowanas are better on live and frozen brine, shrimp, black worms and small fish. The bigger arowanas will usually take better to larger fish, frogs, insects and crickets.
I hope this article will go some way to dispelling the myth about how difficult arowanas are to look after. Maybe the next time you visit a pet store with an arowana for sale, you might think about bringing it home.