Silver Arowana, Osteoglossum bicirrhosum)

Name:
Silver Arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) - (Aro, Arawana)

Info:
North of South America to Guyana and the basin of the Amazon river.
Slow floating and stagnant waters.

Size:
In the wild: Max length of 120cm or 48'
Aquarium: 80-90cm or 32'- 36'

Food:
Fish
Crickets
Grasshoppers
Mice
Frogs
Worms
Prawns
Shrimps
Arowana Sticks
(In our experience: - Liver, Beef, Flake, Pellet Food also)
(Be aware: - If you feed live food to these guys, it can sometimes be very very difficult to get them to eat 'dead' meat or other foods!)

Tank size:
Recommended size is 8ftx2ftx2ft. (Bigger if possible)
Dimensions must be big enough for the Aro to turn comfortably.
In the wild these fish can jump out of the water to grab insects, small birds, frogs etc that are sitting at branches above the water.
Best to keep one Aro per tank, or if you want more, 3 is a good number due to chance of mutual aggression.
(Be aware: - It is important to have a strong lids on your tank, or weighted down, because Aros are notorious jumpers)

Tankmates:
Best to keep Aros alone, as having other fish with them only causes them to look down more often, and there is a chance that it will develop 'Drop-eye' which they claim to be in-curable.
They will eat most fish that are their Tank-mates when older/bigger, but as they are young, they can be kept with others.
But in some cases other fish can be put with Aros:
(Well tempered) - Stingrays, Pacus, Plecos, and big South American Cichlids.
(In our experience: - Danios, Clown Knifefish, Hoplo Catfish, Plecos, Bristlenoses, Big Cichlids)

Tank Decor:
Plants and Gravel best for these guys.
Driftwood
Try not to have too many Floating-type Plants, as they spend most of their time around the top of the water.
(Be aware: - No sharp decorations, as these fish can be 'skittish')

Breeding:
Aros are Mouth Brooders.
The male holds the eggs in his mouth and they hatch in about 2 months. Then he will keep the Bubbas in his mouth for approximately 10 days until the they have digested their egg-sack. The egg-sack is a sort of food storage area, which is connected to the bubbas by a umbilicus strand.
These guys are rarely bred in captivity, as they normally breed in Huge Outside Ponds with many other Aros)

PH:
6-7

Temperature:
25-28 Degrees Celsius.

Water Quality:
Aros are sensitive fish, and require very clean water. Also as they eat meat, so water can get dirty very easily!
This means that good filtration is a must. Also be prepared to do water changes on a regular bases.
Cannister filters are recommended.
(In our experience: - We do not have to change the water that often, due to the amount of filtration and water quality)

Lightning:
Aros dont like bright lightning, but good lights are also necessary for the plants.
Metal Halides seem to be way to bright for these guys.
(In our experience: - They feel more secure when the lights are dimmed or dimmer, or even if they have some sort of floating plant that will cut out some light)

Health:
Aros are sensitive fish that requires clean water.
A common affection these fish can develop is called 'Drop-Eye'. - This affection is probably caused because the fish are distracted by things outside the aquarium, fish constantly swimming below them, Bare-Bottom tanks, or are often forced to grab their food from the bottom instead of at the top of the tank.
They can get 'White Spot' easy, and not many recover from this like other fish can.
Also gill curling. This is caused by a too high concentration of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate.
If they refuse to eat, you need to look at the water conditions, tankmates, and stress levels. A good sign of them not eating normally means something is wrong.

Summing up:
I would like to say that Aros are such beautiful fish, with a great personality. They are very Majestic Aquatic Fish. However, they are sensitive fish and require the best care possible. Please do not consider buying one till you have the right sized Aquarium for them as Adults, and know that they can be very expensive to feed and care for. You can train them to be hand-fed also, which can bring you and your Aro closer and help him/her trust you.