Maintenance and basic care
Maintaining your arowana's tank is very essential for it to grow fast
and for it to be healthy and free from diseases. Regular water change
should be done at least twice a week.
Changing the water of your arowana's tank
Be careful not to frighten the arowana. It might be able to jump out.
It is best if you do not remove the arowana from the tank. This will
lessen stress and would prevent injury which might be fatal.
Remember to use only aged tap water (at least 2-3 days) so that you
can be sure that your water is safe and free from chlorine.
You can also use anti-chlorine if you want to.
Drain 2/3 of the arowana's tank and change it with new water.
It is also good if you would place a dosage of blackwater extract
into the aquarium after the job has been done to calm the fish down.
When moving becomes necessary, make use of mil tranquilizers. This
will put your arowana in temporary sleep. It would lessen the injuries
If you do not have any tranquilizers or do not want to make use of one,
Then make use of plastic bags. This will also do the trick.
Be careful when transferring arowanas. They might get
damages in their fins and scales. The crossback arowana's fins and tail is very delicate.
FILTRATION
Proper filtration is a must in aquariums. If not properly filtered, the arowana's waste will build up thus, causing poisonous ammonia. Below are the list of filtration systems commonly used.
a. Under gravel filter - I do not recommend the use of under gravel filters in arowanas because first of all, waste products and food particles may get stuck under the gravel thus, promoting ammonia which can lead to the death of the fish if not checked regularly on at least once a week. I don't recommend this also because I discourage putting gravel into an arowana's aquarium. There are many reasons behind this. First, it's very hard to maintain. When gravel is present, frequent cleaning is a must to prevent waste build up. Second, frequent cleaning means disturbing the tank thus, causing stress in arowanas. Third, if proper care is not taken when cleaning the gravel, the arowana might be alarmed and jumps out of the tank. The most common reason for the death of an arowana is jumping out of the tank. (So cover your tanks properly.)
b. Overflow filter / Overhead filter - Basically, this filter system is very good. I recommend the use of this filter. But, you should frequently clean the filter. This type of filtration is effective and easy to maintain. The filter is also easy to setup. But, you should be careful because it may overflow thus, causing a mess. So please be careful.
c. Internal Filter - Basically, this type of filter system is effective in small aquarium but is quite hard to maintain since, it is inside the aquarium. This type of filter is good in small aquariums and is suitable for young arowanas.
d. External Filter - This is possibly the best filter for arowanas. It costs quite a lot if the filter is really good. This is similar to the overflow filter but only it doesn't make use of gravity to bring the water back to the tank. Therefore, there will be less chances of the filter overflowing... causing a mess.The water is drawn out of the aquarium and is brought to a tower outside the tank to be filtered then transferred back to the tank via powerheads. The water goes through lots of filtration media which is up to the person to place. Filter medias such as ammonia remover and peat granule is available. The best products for this is Fluval or Eheim.
TANK SIZE
Basically, the golden rule is that the minimum size for an arowana's tank should be of the following: The length of the aquarium should be twice the length of your arowana. The width should at least be the same size of your arowana's length. Ofcourse the bigger the tank the better. Arowanas should be housed in a 75 gallon tank. It depends on the size of your fish. South American species will require a tank size of at least 180 gallons for it to grow healthy and for it to acquire it's maximum size.
AIR
Air is vital for your arowana's growth. Aeration should be just enough and not too much nor too little. Too little air will cause your arowana to grasp for air. You will notice this when your arowana goes to the top of your aquarium. Little air will also increase the chances of gill curling. Too much air, on the other hand, will cause a swim bladder problem. That is, your arowana might have the tendancy to swim sideways. Basically, air bubbles produced from filter is enough. You could add one air stone or one powerhead and that should be enough. Oxygen is vital for your arowana to grow fast.
LIGHTING
lighting is a must for the arowana to develop its full potentials. The red arowana requires at least 8 hours of lighting per day. It is said that sunlight is better for red arowanas. Crossback goldens and red tailed goldens are said to require only minimum lighting. Too much lighting for crossbacks and red-tailed goldens is said to have a negative effect. The tendancy of these fishes is to develop a dark back. Hence, the crossback golden will not have colors crossing over their backs. As for the red-tailed golden, in order for it to become a good quality high back golden, light should be lessened.
TEMPERATURE
The temperature of your tank should be well maintained. Sudden changes in the temperature will stress out your arowana, if not, kill them. Thus a heater is required if the fish is placed outside the house. If you live in countries such as the Philippines. Heaters are unnecessary. Arowanas thrive in temperatures ranging from 28 degrees C to 32 degrees C. Healthy arowanas may tolerate temperatures reaching 23 degrees C to 34 degrees C.
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