Aquarium species profile

Asian Arowana

Scleropages formosus · Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia)

Minimum tank250 gal

Adult size36"

Care levelDifficult

TemperamentAggressive

Temperature75–86°F

pH range6.0–7.0

Diet

Carnivore – live and frozen fish, large shrimp, insects, frogs, earthworms

Compatible tank mates

Only very large robust fish (large catfish, large cichlids) in a massive tank

Tank mates to avoid

Any fish small enough to eat, conspecifics (intensely territorial)

Care notes

CITES Appendix I — illegal to own in the USA without special permits. Legal in many other countries. Called the 'Dragon Fish' in Asia — considered a symbol of luck and wealth. Some specimens sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Long-lived (20+ years). Surface predator.

Check the whole aquarium. Tank size alone does not establish compatibility. Confirm adult size, water overlap, social grouping, territory, diet, and the individual animals before stocking.

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