Help! =O

[marktanc]

Hey, so my birthday is coming up and im thinking i might want to get a larger fish tank then i have now ( it is currently a 55gal ). Right now i have a bottom feeder fish which is a foot in length i believe and a big Oscar and a little crayfish who lives underneath a abalone shell. So i was wondering what i would need to do( how much bigger of a tank and other stuff) if i wanted to get two arowana's and then some fish who live on the bottom of the tank possibly. Thanks for the post's and stuff and im very new to all this so try to explain if you can haha thanks! -Chase

[Carl]

Hi and welcome to EA!

Arowanas can get quite large and aggressive, likely only one would be a good idea..
What species of Arowana were you thinking of; as South American (these are the most common)?

Back to tank size; I would consider at least a minimum 125 gallon (6 foot) or larger.

This article may be helpful as well:
Aquarium Answers; Tank Size Stunting

Also others may come along later and share their experience as well.

Carl

[jonv]

In the aspect Carl is referring to, the idea of using something at least six feet wide is a good start. You also need to consider, like he said, most common being the South American type, the wild ones go well into 4 feet long and that six foot tank isn't going to cut it when adulthood comes.

I've had mine grow out to about 18 inches in a 180 which is 6 x 2 x 2 and it started to get a bit cramped for them at that size. If you go with a six foot tank, the 150 would offer you a better range with the width which is quite necessary to look at, however the 180 or even a 210 which run six foot give you longer term options.

To keep them for life, you really don't want to consider this anything short of 8 foot in length. You really just have to give them room to move. They won't reach a full potential in six foot tanks and even if you could get them to that range, the quality of life in something of that size would be highly cramped and make turns in the tank stressful.

Keep them with other fish usually isn't that much of a problem. Certainly not with Oscars no. In the beginning the Oscars might even bully them as Oscars are avid eaters and happily go after any foods. As the Arowana grow however, it wouldn't be wise in any tank that doesn't offer good depth to it, to keep fish that could be swallowed. While Arowana from South America typically top feed, as they swim about, smaller fish can become a target choice.

You'll also want to consider objects that float in your tank too. South Americans are highly prone to droop eye in aquariums simply because most keep them in tanks too small and they begin to target other fish for food, which is not natural for them.

[bikeguy33]

in the service industry i dealt with alot of these monsters. mostly silver arrowanas. all their homes were minimum 600 gallons...and to me that wasnt large enough yet. if you are absolutely set on an arrowana, get at least a 200 and put in a jardini. they dont get quite as large.

[goldenpuon]

I would definitely recommend a very large tank. 600 gallons at least considering the size arowanas get if you add one. For an Ocsar alone, I hear the bare minimum is 50 gallons for an aquarium.

Hope that helps. Also, welcome to the forum!

[marktanc]

Thank you, so much for all this wonderful information! So i am thinking of getting a 200+ gallon tank for now and buying a silver arowana. i did some more research and found this sounds like a good idea. I cant say how much i appreciate all your advice! =)

[bikeguy33]

the silver will outgrow the 200 inside of 2 years or so....but what some people do is keep them till they are a foot long or so and trade them in for smaller ones. this is much more fair too the fish and you still get to keep what you want. keep in mind as well....an arrowana is a bad idea if you have kids. they will jump out of a tank when spooked and they are very slippery. if it does jump out , quickly take off your shirt and throw it over the fish to put him back. AND THEY BITE....careful doing water changes and they also feed off the top....any fish kept with them will have to live towards the bottom. they are known to be finnicky eaters too. they will take their food for a long time then starve themselves. i reccomend shrimp, and prawns when older and ground beef or horse heart. switching back and forth is a good idea and the occasional feeder is important too. i don`t recommend feeders often as they are known to not take "dead" food when feeders are given too often. good luck with this guy!!!

[Carl]

quickly take off your shirt and throw it over the fish to put him back. AND THEY BITE....

I could not agree more with this point.

I had a silver arowana at a restaurant I that maintained aquariums at that bit me and with its hooked teeth did not let go!!

I might add as to feeding, I had the best results with gut loaded crickets combined with Hikari Carnivore Sticks (no feeders AT ALL!!)

Carl

[marktanc]

[the silver will outgrow the 200 inside of 2 years or so....but what some people do is keep them till they are a foot long or so and trade them in for smaller ones. this is much more fair too the fish and you still get to keep what you want.] Haha very good idea

[marktanc]

Would a clown loach be compatible with my silver arowana?

[bikeguy33]

that has alot to do with loach size....i have seen them share large tanks togeather.

[jonv]

To be fair in having kept them a few years, I haven't had any bite on me personally. I am quite sure they do or could, but I really feel unless they were wild caught, that instinct in a tank would be very minimal. However that was a good point about the jumping. Lost count how many times a night had to get up and check on the tank and find one of them on the floor. Even the smallest of gaps, they can and will find it if they spook.

Feeders are not something though I feel are a good idea. Feeders encourage them to go after fish which normally they would not do in a natural habitat. I know in the aquarium hobby this is often done. It also increases the odds of droop eye as it causes them to stop looking up for food. Picky eaters, very much true but keep the course on frozen foods or the gut loaded crickets. This will keep their attention on the surface.

As to the loach, so long as you haven't gotten the Arowana into the habit of going after other fish it shouldn't be a problem, but that also does depend on tank size. Keep in mind, most loaches will stay near the bottom and your South American should tend to dwell up top. Interaction between them should be very minimal.

[marktanc]

Hey, um kinda unrelated to this thread but could you give me some tips or a link on about ph lvls and ammonia and stuff like im kinda familiar with it but i wanna no alot about it before i start all this.

[Carl]

Oct 28, 2010 23:15:29 GMT -5 marktanc said:

Hey, um kinda unrelated to this thread but could you give me some tips or a link on about ph lvls and ammonia and stuff like im kinda familiar with it but i wanna no alot about it before i start all this.

These two in depth articles from our researched information pages should help a lot:
*Aquarium Chemistry; pH, GH, KH, Minerals
*Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle

Carl

[marktanc]

Ok so i bought a 210 gallon tank and im thinking of getting a silver arowana oscar 3 bala sharks and a black spotted eel ( dont worry im getting very good filtrating and air bubbles that come up from the bottom. Does that sound ok?

[bikeguy33]

sounds too crowded....especially with the arrowana. these fish all get too big for a 210 togeather unless you get them all small...

[goldenpuon]

I second what Bill said. Unless you get them as juveniles and sell them when they outgrow the tank, they will definitely overcrowd it. Arowanas alone grow to a few feet long.