Re: [APD] Aquatic-Plants Digest, Vol 36, Issue 31

["Lawrence Hugh Forbes" <lhforbes at comcast_net>]

Message: 3
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:25:16 -0500
From: "John Lemons" <john at johnlemons_com>
Subject: [APD] Arowana in a planted tank?
To: <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>

I have a friend who has an Arowana that has outgrown its current tank and is
seeking a new home for it.  I am somewhat interested, but I'd like to know
if any of you folks have had any experience keeping them.  I know they like
mostly live food and will grow to be several feet long in optimal
conditions, and I've read up a bit on water chemistry and other stats.  Are
they compatible with planted tanks?  Will they tear up or eat plants?  Do
the play well with other large fish (large being too big to swallow)?  Any
ideas what kind of tank size I should be looking at?  Its currently 8" long,
and I have a 70gal tank (~4'x20"x20" IIRC).  I don't want to put it in too
small a tank, but I don't want to buy a larger tank right now.  I wouldn't
mind getting a 120 or a 200 in a few years if it grows too much, but I'd
like to know what I'm getting into before I commit.

Thanks!


Hi John,
I had a silver arowana that went from a baby, who sill had its yolk sac at
about 5", to 24" in a year. It only ate feeder goldfish, which I had to keep
for 2 to 3 months to grow out to be big enough for it to be interested in. I
kept it in a 240 (96" x 24" x 25") gallon aquarium and IMO even that was
really too small for it. I would not keep one in less than a 6' x 3'
footprint tank. Also note that they are VERY strong jumpers so keeping a
heavy top on the tank is imperative. I did keep it with very large South and
Central American cichlids, which were fine, except for a breeding pair of C.
nicarguaensis who didn't want the arowana swimming above their nest. The
arowana won. I used to keep many large fish including piranha. That was the
only fish I was afraid of. While all other fish swim away from your hand
placed in their tank, that one would swim towards it, seeing if it was
something to eat. Their mouths are HUGE btw, like a snake their mouths are
much bigger than their head. A 70 gallon doesn't even come close to being
large enough IMO.

Larry

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