All About Arowana part 1

by. Roy ganda putra manalu



Types of Arowana Fish

The distribution areas of Arowana can be categorized as:

1. North America (3 Types)
2. Australia (2 Types)
3. Africa (1 Type)
4. Asia (1 Type 4 Kinds)

The popular Arowana in the market can be classified as follows:

1. Indonesia Red Arowana (From Indonesia)
2. Malayan Bonytongue (From Malaysia)
3. Red Tail Golden Arowana (From Indonesia)
4. Green Arowana (From Southeast Asia)
5. Jardini (Australian Arowana)
6. Silver Arowana (From South America)
7. Black Arowana (From South America)

Hong Kong people believe that if they breed any kinds of Arowana, their business will expand while their financial sources wil be accumulated. This belief of the Hong Kong people is also a way for them to exhibit their wealth and status. They strongly believe that the Arowana is an incarnation of the crust dragon, extensively adored by the Chinese.

North America Arowana

Basically there are 3 main types of North America Arowana:

1. Silver Arowana
2. Black Arowana
3. Arapaima Pirarucu

1. Silver Arowana
Main Places of Origin:
Areas around the Amazon River.

Characteristics:

picture 1. silver arowana

Flat and long body, small tail, big head, when it is young, the bottom color of dosal fin is bluish pink, body is shiny like silver, with a little pink colour. After growing, the big scales are like shells in semi-circle, the side line has 31 to 35 scales, its body is silver in colour with a little blue and light pink and is sparkling and shining.

It has a pair of barbels, lower lip longer than the upper one, ven fin has around 50 to 55 hard fin rays, hard fin ray of dosal fin around 42 to 46 and pelvic fin can extend to 4 to 6cm long.

2. Black Arowana
Main Places of Origin:
Gio Grande River of Brazil

 Characteristics:

 picture 2. black arowana

It was found in 1966 in the Rio Grande River of Brazil. Its body is similar to the Silver Arowana. The only difference occurs during the infant period, when its body is slightly black and this will fade gradually as the fish grows. The scales will then become silver in colour while each fin will turn into blue colour. When it grows very big, its colour will incline to black with purple and green.

This kind of fish is easily frightened and thus is now considered a protected species in Brazil


3.Arapaima Pirarucu
 Main Places of Origin:
Amazon River of South America.
Also found in Brazil, Columbia and South American Countries.

Characteristics:

picture 3. Arapaima pirarucu

This fish can grow to a maximum length of 5m and a weight of 400kg. It is thus not suitable to breed in aquatic tank. It is a food of aborigines in Brazil. With its black colour, its round fat shape, its rough scales and its utterly hard head which is as big as a tiger's, it looks quite different from a typical Arowana.

When it grows up, its frames of scales will turn red. It has no barbels and it grows fast, gaining 3 to 5kg a year. When it reaches 4 to 5 years old, it can lay 180 thousand eggs and the diameter of each egg is 1.8cm.