Aravana

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Fish

Aravana is a fish that is one of the most ancient marine inhabitants. It is considered a large and quite strong fish. It can be kept at home if the size of the aquarium allows it. In many literary sources, the arawana can be found under the name “sea dragon” because of its dense scales. Such scales form a so-called dense protective shell on the body of a marine inhabitant. However, despite its heaviness, it does not fetter the fish at all and does not limit its mobility. Aravana comes in many varieties, differing from each other in color, body shape and size.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Aravana

Aravana belongs to chordates, classified into the class ray-finned fish, order Aravana, family Aravanaceae, genus and species Aravana. To date, ichthyologists have identified about two hundred of these fish. Scientists believe that these representatives of marine flora and fauna existed on earth many millions of years ago.

The discovered fossils of the Aravana confirm this fact. According to the oldest fossils found, fish already existed in the Jurassic period. It is noteworthy that since her appearance on earth, she has practically not changed in appearance.

Video: Aravana

South America is considered the historical homeland of fish. The ancient inhabitants of this continent called the fish the dragon of good luck. There has long been a belief that a person who takes care of this fish will be happy and good luck will certainly smile on him.

In Asian countries in ancient times, fish was caught as a source of food. Then Europeans became interested in the curiosity and unusually beautiful fish. They sought to purchase a fish to keep in an aquarium. After Europeans began to massively buy these representatives of marine flora and fauna, mass catching began in the regions of their natural habitat, and the cost of them increased incredibly. Some especially rare and valuable species could cost about 130 - 150,000 USD.

Purchase and cost

It is problematic to freely purchase even young arowana fish, only to order. The cost of fry depends on the species , place of origin, growth and color quality and ranges from $20 to $500.

In large nurseries, a microchip is implanted into each individual, the parameters of which are documented when the fish is purchased. With its help, you can subsequently determine the origin, age and variety of fish. The cost of an adult fish raised in such a farm is high, and not everyone can purchase an exotic dragon fish.

The highest price of $80,000 was offered to a businessman from Singapore for a very rare platinum-painted arowana. But the owner flatly refused to sell his pet.

Appearance and features

Photo: What an arawana looks like

Aravana has a rather exotic and very interesting appearance. It belongs to the large species of marine life. In natural habitats, the length of its body reaches about 120-155 centimeters. When kept in aquarium conditions, the body length most often does not exceed half a meter. The body weight of one adult reaches 4-5 kilograms; especially large fish can weigh about 6-6.5 kilograms. These representatives of marine flora and fauna tend to grow quickly and gain body weight.

The body shape of the fish is long, ribbon-like, somewhat reminiscent of snakes or non-existent dragons. The sides of the body are somewhat compressed. The fish has a very specific, small head with a mouth pointed upward. The lower lip has antennae that point straight up when moving. At the bottom of the head there is a kind of bag that can swell greatly if necessary.

The fish has quite large eyes. They are convex and have a visible, large, black pupil. The Aravana has no teeth. Fins located in the chest area are small in size. The dorsal and anal fins start from the middle of the body, and smoothly flow into the tail, merging with it. Thanks to this structure, fish quickly gain high speed while hunting. The body is covered with dense scales, which merge to form a protective shell.

It is noteworthy that young individuals have brightly colored fins, some have stripes on their bodies. With age, the stripes disappear, and the color of the fins becomes darker. The color of the scales can be very diverse depending on the species and region of habitat. However, in any case, the color is rich and very deep.

Fish color options:

pearl;
coral;
blue;
orange;
black;
silver;
gold;
green.

Many species of juveniles, regardless of their primary color, have a bluish tint.

Types of arowana

There are more than 200 breeds of Arowana . Their differences are due to living conditions.

Silver

Another name for the American Arowana. Length - 1 m 20 cm, weight 20 kg. In an aquarium it grows up to 1 m. The scales are silver, but over time multi-colored tints appear.

Black

The black arowana inhabits the rivers of Brazil and Colombia. Its length is 1 m. Young fish have scales with white and yellow stripes.

In adults it takes on a dark gray hue.

Asian

The Asian arowana in captivity reaches 60 cm, in nature its length is one and a half times greater.

The most popular is the red arowana. Due to the rapid decrease in their number, a chip is implanted into the body of all individuals, which contains data about the pedigree and breeder.

Green

Less valued than red. It is distinguished by its pale color. The scales are greenish with a golden tint.

Golden Asian

Adults are completely golden in color. Like the green arawana, it is inferior in popularity and price to the red Asian one.

Red-tailed

Created by crossing the red and golden arowana. The fins are purple, and the body combines both shades.

Arowana of Myanmar

The cream-colored scales are covered with an interesting pattern, for which fish of this breed are also called painted. They reach a length of 55–65 cm.

Platinum

Another Asian breed. Rarely seen. The length of the platinum arowana is no more than 50 cm. It is distinguished by its completely white color.

African

Less popular than the Asian species. On average, the length of an adult fish is 1 m. Large scales have a blue-black or greenish-red tint.

Australian pearl

There are 2 types: pearl and spotted giardini. The first is listed in the International Convention CITES as an endangered species. Its peculiarity is 7 rows of scales with pinkish edges.

The Spotted Arowana has grey-green scales with red spots.

Attention! The albino American arowana is one of the most expensive fish in the world. She is completely white, there is not a single spot on her body. The price reaches $100,000 per copy.

Where does the Aravana live?

Photo: Arawana fish

South America is considered the homeland of the dragon fish. In ancient times, fish was ubiquitous in all regions with a tropical climate. Today it lives in almost all freshwater bodies.

Geographical regions of the Aravana habitat:

some fresh water bodies of North America;
Amazon river;
Oyapok;
Essequibo;
southern regions of China;
Burma;
Vietnam;
Guyana Basin;
Southeast Asia.

The fish can thrive in waters with low oxygen levels. In many countries around the world, fish are raised under artificial conditions in many rivers. In regions of their natural habitat, fish choose places where the current is not too strong, quiet and secluded regions.

To keep fish in aquarium conditions, it is recommended to choose an aquarium with a capacity of at least 750 liters, preferably even 1000 liters. It should be covered with an opaque lid on top. It is advisable to equip it with a type of lighting that will not turn on abruptly, but gradually, gradually flare up. It is best if the aquarium is made of plexiglass, since the fish are quite strong and large.

The aquarium must have a filter for water purification that can siphon the bottom and change at least a quarter of all water weekly. Plants are not necessary for these representatives of marine flora and fauna. They feel quite comfortable without them. Hardness is 8-12, acidity 6.5-7. Fish categorically does not accept an alkaline environment.

Possible problems

Arowanas have excellent immunity and very rarely get sick. But if the conditions of their detention have deteriorated significantly, this can happen.

Most often, fish suffer from overeating and obesity. This should not be allowed; it is important to arrange fasting days.

Another problem for the huge predator is a sedentary lifestyle due to the tightness of the tank. If juveniles can be placed in a 200 liter aquarium, then as the individual matures and grows, it must be transplanted into a more spacious one. Ideally, for an adult pet, the length of an artificial pond is two meters.

The first sign of Arowana disease is refusal to eat.

Cloudiness of the cornea of a pet's eyes occurs due to too low a water temperature or excessive contamination. The gill plates may then begin to curl over, resembling ears. The water in the tank should be replaced immediately. This procedure may have to be repeated more than once.

Due to feeding the Arowana with food contaminated with parasites and even due to smoking near an artificial pond, the fish can be affected by toxicosis. In its acute form, the pet sinks to the bottom and does not move or convulses near the surface. In chronic cases, loss of appetite and glassy eyes, lethargy and apathy occur. In this case, the Dragon Fish should be immediately transferred to a clean tank, and the main aquarium should be washed and restarted.

For food poisoning, take baths with Methylene blue and a weak salt solution (1 g per 1 liter of water).

Arowana owners often encounter injuries to their pets as a result of fights, bites, wounds, and bruises when jumping out of the tank. As a treatment, short baths with table salt are given to the affected individual three times a day.

What does the Aravana eat?

Photo: Predatory arawana

By nature, Aravans are predators. They are excellent hunters and are able to get food even in shallow water in bushes or flooded forests. Slaves are very gluttonous, and very unpretentious to food. She can eat anything she can catch.

Interesting fact: In conditions of shortage of food supply, there have been cases when fish ate primate feces.

What do fish eat:

fish of various types;
marine insects;
worms;
insects (crickets, chafers, centipedes);
frogs;
mice;
crabs;
shrimps.

Often, when existing in natural conditions, predators hunt birds that fly over water. The unique structure of the fins allows them to gain greater speed while hunting.

Interesting fact: Pisces are capable of making masterly jumps, up to one and a half meters above the water.

When keeping a home in aquarium conditions, it is recommended to feed predators with frozen fish fillets; you can give small cubes of beef liver. There are different variations of dry food. Young individuals can be given boiled shrimp. Before feeding them to the Aravan, you need to clean them.

The structure of the oral apparatus is designed in such a way that the fish can swallow even large prey the size of its body. Experts say that a predator should always be a little hungry. To do this, you need to arrange fasting days once or twice a week and not give food to the fish. When kept in aquarium conditions, it is necessary to periodically add vitamins to the food.

Feeding

Another difficulty in keeping and caring for Arowana is creating a varied and proper diet. In nature, these fish eat whatever they come across, grass, turtles, snails, other mollusks, beetles, frogs, birds, snakes, even mammals.

In captivity, they happily eat bloodworms, tubifex, mussels, cortera, shrimp, and can also eat dry food.

But you should give preference to the following diet:

To the crickets. These insects are easy to breed yourself; they contain many proteins and substances that enhance the natural color of the fish.
To the grasshoppers. They are not inferior in nutritional value to crickets, they are easy to get in the summer, but we must remember about the possibility of infection with helminths.
To frogs. These amphibians are one of Arowana's favorite foods. If they receive them often, they soon begin to refuse other foods.
Live fish. Also the favorite food of predators. In addition, watching live hunting is very exciting. Preference should be given to healthy, inexpensive aquarium fish that do not have thorns or sharp scales. It is dangerous to feed pond and river species due to possible infections.
To mice. Arowana simply jumps out of the water when these carcasses are brought to its surface.
Cortere. Excellent food for growing juveniles.
Other live food - centipedes, chafers, larvae, earthworms.

If it is not possible to constantly give Arowana live food, then you can prepare a special mixture, which includes:

Shrimps. Large varieties should be used and given unpeeled along with the shell for large Arowanas. For teenagers, small ones are suitable; they are first doused with boiling water or lightly blanched.
Beef heart. Not so much loved by Arowanas, but it is an excellent food containing all the necessary nutrients. The only important thing is to cut off all the fat. The fish will not eat it, and the water will become very polluted.
Sea fish. The most accessible and cheapest option is sprat. For teenagers, cut it in half and freeze in portions. Before feeding, pour boiling water over and separate. Pieces of pollock, cod, and hake are also suitable for adults. They are slightly boiled, separated from the bones and placed in plastic bags in the freezer.

It is important not to overfeed the Arowana; this predator should always be slightly hungry, so fasting days once a week are mandatory. Sometimes you can go without feeding for two days.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Light Aravana

Aravans are considered highly intelligent predators. They are able to recognize their owner, eat food from his hands and even allow themselves to be touched. In general, predators by nature are quite aggressive and extremely unfriendly. When kept in aquarium conditions, they will not be able to coexist peacefully with other species of fish.

They don't like to share their space with anyone else. Smaller and weaker individuals run the risk of being eaten. Only fish of similar size, preferably also predators, can be considered as neighbors. Stingrays get along well with Aravans. They have similar body sizes, taste preferences and occupy different water columns, which eliminates competition between them.

Predators are excellent at navigating the terrain, preferring quiet backwaters and shallow depths. In such places they are most comfortable, where they feel like full owners. They are very jealous of their habitat.

If the fish is kept in an aquarium and there are other inhabitants in addition to the predator, you must adhere to the following rules:

feed the fish in a timely manner and in sufficient quantity;
comply with all rules and conditions for keeping fish;
provide the required number of shelters and pieces of wood.

Under natural conditions, fish can easily coexist next to catfish, fractocephalus, Indian knives, and astronotuses.

Care and maintenance

Aravana is not the easiest fish to care for. For her comfortable life, it is necessary to purchase an aquarium with a volume of at least 750-1000 liters. The size is due to constant growth: a small house of 250 liters would be enough for young individuals, but large arowanas need more space. To prevent the fish from jumping out after prey, it is necessary to cover the aquarium with an opaque lid. The lighting inside the aquarium should not be bright or harsh when turned on, as this may frighten the resident.

To create natural conditions, you need to supplement the inside of the aquarium:

sand or small pebbles;
driftwood or stones for shelter;
living plants.

The water in the aquarium should be filtered and cleaned regularly. A large tropical resident produces a considerable amount of waste, so cleaning the soil and renewing one-fourth of the water must occur every week.

Only fish that are the same size as it can become neighbors of the arowana. She will eat small fish under any circumstances. You should not add fish that live in the upper layers of water to it. Sensing excessive competition, arowanas will defend their territory in all possible ways.

The tropical arowana gets along well with such aquarium inhabitants as:

ocellated astronotus;
hybrid parrot;
Pterygoplichthus;
large angelfish;
Indian knife;
pacu and multi-feather;
giant gourami.

Arowana fish very quickly get used to their permanent owners: they are not afraid to take food from their hands, they can even beg for treats by rubbing themselves against the owner’s fingers.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Freshwater arawana

It is not possible to breed fish at home. For spawning, predators require special conditions, water temperature and the absence of any difference in parameters.

This species reaches sexual maturity at the age of 3-3.5 years. When the body length of a marine inhabitant reaches 40-60 centimeters, it is ready for spawning. Females have one ovary, which synthesizes up to 60-80 eggs that are at the maturation stage. Males have single filamentous testes. On average, the size of one egg is about 1.5-2 centimeters.

At the onset of puberty, the male demonstrates his readiness to reproduce and begins to court the female. This courtship period lasts from several days to several weeks and ends when the female begins to lay eggs. Most often, with the onset of darkness at night, the male pursues an individual of the opposite sex, following her in circles at a short distance.

If the female approves of the male’s attentions, then they jointly look for the most suitable place for laying eggs. The male literally does not leave the female until she begins to spawn. Caviar throwing is carried out in several stages. The male collects it and places it in his mouth for incubation. The ripening period lasts seven days.

Interesting fact: It is noteworthy that the fry stay in the male’s mouth until they begin to feed on their own. This period lasts up to 6-8 weeks.

When the fry reach a size of 40-50 millimeters and can feed on their own, the male releases them into the water.

Reviews

Keeping an arawana is not only an interesting activity, but also a troublesome one. On numerous aquarium forums there are those who “made friends” with her, and there are those who were unable to provide proper care. In any case, reviews are valuable for preventing mistakes in keeping fish:

A fish with character. Aquarium 500 l. Black-striped cichlids, algae eaters, and Sumatran barb were affected. Does not touch: bream barb, brocade catfish, cichlas severum, parrots, cornflower blue haplochromis. Anything smaller than 10 cm is eaten. Anton

Over the course of the year, the fish jumped out of the “can” a couple of times. Now, in addition to the lid, it is covered with a heavy sheet of chipboard. Alexander, 42 years old, Lipetsk

The best part about owning dragons, for me, is that they can be tamed. When they see the owner, they recognize him and swim up to the front window; you can also teach him to take food from his hands and stroke him. I.N.

After some time, I began to notice that the fish did not have enough space, it often hovered and slept. I can’t set up a new aquarium, so my Aravana went to the zoo (at least that’s good. Ivan

Aravana is an interesting specimen for keeping in large aquariums. Perfect for offices, exhibition centers, zoo and water parks. To keep a dragon at home, you need to stock up on professional equipment, as well as provide adequate nutrition, in order to find a silent friend in fish, which, with good care, can live at home for up to 30 years. Elena69

Natural enemies of Aravan

Photo: What an arawana looks like

This type of predator has virtually no enemies in its natural habitat. They are quite aggressive from a very young age. They tend to hunt even larger and stronger representatives of marine flora and fauna. They easily hunt birds, small mammals and freshwater animals.

They are in danger at the juvenile stage. Only at this age can they become prey for other marine life. By nature, predators are endowed with strong, strong immunity. If there is fungus or mold in the aquarium, the fish will definitely become infected. If there is plaque, stains on the body of the fish, or the scales become cloudy, it is necessary to take measures to clean the aquarium.

If the aquarium does not have a filter, or it does not cope with the function of water purification. The fish's gills roll up. If the water has too high a pH, the fish lose their vision, their eye color changes and their eyes become cloudy.

To avoid disease, health problems and death, it is necessary to monitor the nutrition and cleanliness of the aquarium. For a comfortable stay in it, it is necessary to observe and maintain all the necessary conditions.

Compatibility with other fish

In nature, animals have hierarchical relationships - dominant individuals protect their chosen area and are aggressive towards all representatives of their species that swim close. To prevent conflicts inside the aquarium, adult fish are kept alone.

Arowanas do not show aggression towards other species. However, they will not get along with small breeds, as they may perceive them as food. Also, you should not plant them with fish that swim in the upper layers of water - breathing atmospheric air.

Astronotuses, large species of angelfish, cichlids, pacu, knives, pterygoplichts, etc. will be excellent neighbors for them.