Silver Arowana Fish Species Profile

The Silver Arowana is one of the most striking freshwater fish available in the hobby, and also one of the most demanding, a genuine commitment rather than an impulse purchase, regardless of how small and manageable the juveniles look in a shop tank.

At a glance

• Scientific name: Osteoglossum bicirrhosum
• Origin: Amazon basin, South America, inhabiting slow-moving rivers and flooded forest waterways
• Adult size: commonly 80 to 100 centimetres in captivity, with wild specimens sometimes exceeding a metre
• Lifespan: 10 to 20 years with proper care
• Temperament: can be territorial and aggressive, particularly toward smaller fish it can fit in its mouth

Recognising a Silver Arowana

The species is immediately distinctive: an elongated, metallic silver body, a large upward-angled mouth built for surface hunting, and two long barbels extending from the lower jaw that give the fish its alternate nickname of dragon fish. It swims close to the surface for most of its life, using its upturned mouth to snatch insects, small fish and other prey from at or just above the waterline, and it is a genuinely powerful jumper capable of leaping well clear of the water to catch food.

Tank requirements: the real barrier to keeping this species

A juvenile can be kept temporarily in a tank of 250 to 300 litres, but this is only ever a starting point. A full grown adult needs a minimum of roughly 1,000 litres, with considerably more, sometimes cited at 250 to 300 US gallons (950 to 1,135 litres) or beyond, genuinely recommended for long term comfort, and length matters more than depth, since this is a surface-dwelling fish that swims continuously along the top of the water column rather than using the full water column vertically. A tight, secure lid is not optional given how readily this species jumps.

Water parameters and setup

• Temperature: 24 to 28 degrees Celsius
• pH: 6.0 to 7.5, and the species is genuinely tolerant of a range of water hardness once established
• Filtration: a strong external canister filter, sized well above the tank's stated capacity given how much waste a fish this large produces
• Decor: sparse, prioritising open swimming space over dense planting, since the fish's natural behaviour is to cruise long, open stretches near the surface

Diet

Silver Arowanas are carnivorous surface feeders. In the aquarium they take shrimp, mussels, fish fillets, crickets and other insects, and can be trained onto high quality carnivore pellets over time, which is worth doing since a diet of feeder fish alone carries a real risk of introducing parasites and provides less balanced nutrition. Juveniles often prefer live food initially but generally accept frozen or prepared alternatives with patience.

Tank mates and a realistic word of caution

Suitable companions are limited to similarly large, robust species that will not fit in the arowana's mouth and can hold their own if challenged, large catfish, bichirs, and similarly sized cichlids among the more commonly cited options. This is not a community fish, and it is not a species suited to the vast majority of home aquariums in India or anywhere else; it belongs firmly in the realm of dedicated large-fish keepers with the space, filtration budget, and long term commitment such a tank demands.

A note on trade status

Unlike the Asian Arowana, which is CITES Appendix I listed and tightly regulated, the Silver Arowana is freely traded internationally and carries no CITES restriction, making it considerably more accessible through the aquarium trade. Availability and legality can still vary by state and dealer in India, so it is worth confirming the specific requirements with a specialised supplier before committing to this species.

Article content © Ravi Teja. All rights reserved.