Asian Arowana

The name dragonfish comes from its unique appearance, including the massive scales, bright lustrous colors, and the graceful movements through the water. They are very popular and highly sought after in the international pet trade. However, because they do require a substantial tank size and plenty of food, the Asian Arowana is not an easy pet to care for. They are banned in some countries, such as the United States, to protect wild populations, while in others, ownership is allowed with proper permits or for captive-bred individuals.

3 Asian Arowana Facts

• The Asian Arowana is a symbol of good luck and prosperity in many local cultures.
• The Asian Arowana is often considered to be a prehistoric fish because little outward change has occurred since it first evolved many millions of years ago.
• The Asian Arowana is highly territorial and aggressive against intruders. For this reason, many fish live alone or in small groups.

Classification and Scientific Name

The scientific name of the Asian Arowana is Scleropages formosus. Scleropages comes from a Greek term that generally translates to mean hard leaves. This is perhaps a reference to the large scales on the body. The species name formosus is derived from a Latin word meaning beautiful, handsome, or finely formed. There is some debate about whether the Asian Arowana is a single species or four separate types of species, but most taxonomists classify it as a single species.

Appearance

The Asian Arowana is characterized by a long, narrow body with thick scales and a pair of long barbels (sensing organs) emerging from the lower jaw, which curves upward into a pointed snout. They come in a wide variety of colors, including green, silver, orange, and red. The species can measure up to 3 feet long, but most specimens are considerably smaller than this. When swimming, their fan-like fins spread out and glide gracefully through the water. Males are generally distinguished from females by their wider and deeper mouths.

Distribution, Population, and Habitat

The Asian Arowana prefers the slow-moving waters of swamps and wetlands throughout Southeast Asia. These areas are often called blackwater rivers because decayed vegetation turns them murky and acidic. Population numbers are not known, but according to the IUCN Red List, the Asian Arowana is an endangered species. Habitat loss and overfishing for the pet trade are major contributors to their decline. They are protected by law in their native range countries and regulated internationally under CITES, but illegal poaching and trade in wild-caught specimens persist.

Predators and Prey

The Asian Arowana is a carnivorous species. They spend much of their day hunting for food in shallow, shaded areas of their habitat.

What eats the Asian Arowana?

Because of their large size, the Asian Arowana has few major predators in the wild, perhaps besides larger fish.

What does the Asian Arowana eat?

The Asian Arowana will consume almost anything they find near the surface, including insects, frogs, spiders, birds, lizards, bats, and more. They have the ability to leap out of the water and snatch prey straight out of the air. Many of their prey are found hanging on vegetation or floating on the surface.

Reproduction and Lifespan

When the breeding season arrives, the female will lay anywhere between 30 and 100 large eggs at a time. The male will then fertilize the eggs externally with his sperm. The Asian Arowana is what’s known as a mouthbrooder. This means the male will keep the eggs within his mouth to protect them against potential predators. Even after hatching from the eggs, the fry will remain within the father’s mouth for another two or three months. After learning to fend for themselves, the juveniles take about three or four years to reach full sexual maturity, longer than most freshwater fish. They have been known to live a surprisingly long time in captivity. The maximum lifespan is around 60 years, but most tend to live for about 15 or 20 years.

Fishing and Cooking

The Asian Arowana is not normally caught by people for food, but it is a fairly popular choice for the aquarium trade because of its unique appearance. They come in many different types of colors, including red, silver, and albino. Unfortunately, they can be quite difficult and finicky to care for. The Asian Arowana requires a large tank size of at least 150 gallons or an entire outdoor pond set at around 80 degrees Fahrenheit (or 28 degrees Celsius). This species is a voracious eater that produces a lot of waste, and they do not get along well with other fish either.