Arrowana.

[Lambi]

This really is just out of pure interest, I don't keep one myself. Just wondering if any of you lot do? Iv been reading about them, they sound hard work but seem like fascinating fish! I may invest sometime in the future when I have finished travelling (2012), and settle down with the missus ha. Iv seen them advertised for silly prices, what gives them such value? Does anyone know?

Cheers

Joe

[Martin Thoene]

The Asian Arowana is commonly known as the golden dragon fish or water dragon, in Feng Shui the Arowana is the ultimate good luck symbol and is associated with wealth, luck, strength & power which justify why it's so highly prized. As a result of a mixture of severe habitat damage in Indonesia and also Malaysia, plus the high requirement of aquarists, the fish was announced in 1975 a Class 1 Endangered Species by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). CITES reclassified the Asian arowana in the 80′s, permitting for the commercial reproduction of the fish in Indonesia.

The hope was that local individuals would preserve wild fish stocks as well as breed the fish if there was a monetary incentive. The program proved a success and then commercial breeding later broadened to Singapore and Malaysia. Virtually all Asian arowana legally for sale in the aquarium trade today are at the least F2 offspring and are labeled with coded microchips known as Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT). These kinds of microchips can certainly be read using hand held scanners and let the fish to be recognized as farm bred animals. In addition to the microchip, fish are also marketed along with a birth certificate which contains its microchip number and also the name of the CITES registered fish farm exactly where it was raised.

Various colours of fish have been produced by selective breeding and crossing and some command higher prices than others. I believe that the high prices reflect the demand for fairly large specimens that will impress viewers. Obviously to get fish to a large size involves a far greater cost than with small tropical fish species and the specialized shipping required increases air freight costs per fish, all of which is reflected in the retail prices.

This article will show you what an industry Arrowana breeding has become:

http://arowanaclub.com/clubevent/XLF/XLfarm11.htm

And no, I don't keep Arowana.

Martin.

[Lambi]

Thank you for your reply Martin, I think they look so graceful and beautiful. A friend of a friend of mine has apparently just purchased one and he claims it's growing at an inch a week! I imagine a fair sized tank is required to house such a fish. Is it a species that you have ever considered keeping Martin?

[Noto]

If you are in the US, keep in mind that the Asian arowana is illegal here. Several other species are available and popular among big-predatory-fish enthusiasts. If you want to learn more, try the Monster Fish Keepers site.

I have not kept one, but would like to try some day when I have the necessary resources. I have a soft spot for archaic fishes such as these.

[Martin Thoene]

Thank you for your reply Martin, I think they look so graceful and beautiful. A friend of a friend of mine has apparently just purchased one and he claims it's growing at an inch a week! I imagine a fair sized tank is required to house such a fish. Is it a species that you have ever considered keeping Martin?

I appreciate their beauty, power and elegance, but consider that keeping a fish that size in anything less than about 1000 gallons of water is cruel. There are a whole wack of species sold in aquarium shops that should never be kept in captivity by the home aquarist (IMO) because most homes cannot accomodate a suitable tank. Now if you just won the Lottery and you're having a custom home built for you then that's another deal. You could have a swimming pool sized "tank" built into the place and totally indulge.

I've bought cars that cost less than some Arowana

There are several Chinese owned shops here in Toronto that regularly have masses of beautiful Aros for sale, so supply here is not a problem. Only supply of cash.....plus I live in a two bedroom rented apartment

Martin.

[scubaxena]

These are amazing fish! Sleek, beautiful and graceful. In the wild it's common for them to actually pluck birds from low branches above the water! As Martin said, they require a massive amount of water because they grow to an enormous size. We housed several at Georgia Aquarium until we sent them to another aquarium, ours were about 3 feet in length and expected to double (or more) in size! I've never owned one myself simply because I could never provide a large enouh home for them.

Linda

[Jim Powers]

Do you work at the Georgia Aquarium?
That's a great place!! I visited it about two years ago and would love to go back. The whale sharks are amazing!!