8 Arowana Types – Rare & Expensive Varieties
If you are a fan of magnificently looking aquatic creatures, you have certainly stumbled upon arowanas. Indeed, these superb fish are certainly one of the absolute musts for all real aquarist enthusiasts.
They are massive carnivorous predators which feature elongated bodies, and this makes them seem so elegant when moving among the water, even if they are just heading into an attack. On top of that, they resemble to Chinese dragons so much that many people find them as good luck bringers. What a pet!
There are not many available species of arowanas, but the few that exist are all what we need. Mostly, they get differentiated according to the area from which they descend, so here comes our list of the best arowana types.
South American Arowana
These South American beautiful monsters are characterized by prolonged anal and dorsal fins, and they include two main types.
– Silver Arowana
To begin, this is the largest yet the most peaceful of them all. The silver arowana can grow up to a spectacular size of 3,5 feet. How amazing is that?
As their name implies, they feature one color only- metallic silver. Additionally, they have a huge leap which allows them to catch prays even when they are on superficial tree branches above the water surface.
Silver arowanas require huge tanks because of their massive size, so plan to ensure at least 250 gallons of water volume if you wish to adopt this species. Plus, they love heavily planted tanks as well as lots of rocky hiding places.
This greatly magnificent creature is actually one of the cheapest options available, but price ranges vary a lot according to their size and grade level. For instance, small specimens can be found from US$ 40 already, but some larger variations of highly graded fish can cost you around US$ 1,000.
Nonetheless, the investment is smart, as you can expect a silver arowana to stick around for about 15 years.
– Black Arowana
Native to the Negro river basin, this species accords with its coloration. Indeed, the black arowana does feature blackish body colors during their juvenile life phase. As they grow to their full size, these will start to fade, and you will be facing an almost silver arowana at some point.
But with the addition of elegant blue fins. Luckily, black arowanas tend to grow in an extremely slow rhythm, meaning that your juvenile specimen will be black for a while.
They are remarkably similar to silver arowanas in size, and they usually grow up to 3 feet in body length. However, they differ in their temperaments, with black arowanas being slightly more territorially aggressive towards tank mates.
Especially to those of the same species. They too are carnivorous, but they are not picky eaters and will accept basically any food that you offer them.
With black arowanas being rarer when compared to silver variations, the price you would have to pay for them is also higher. Indeed, this can vary anywhere from US$ 250 for a small specimen to up to US$ 2,000 for highly graded adults. But with surviving around 20 years in captivity, this could be a fair investment, if you ask us.
African Arowana
Heading to the African continent, you can only find one arowana type here. And of course, it is a noteworthy creature. The African arowana features classic olive-green colors and an odd round-shaped head, and they can grow up to 3,3 feet during their life in captivity.
They are fairly difficult to keep though and are mostly not the ideal choice for home aquariums unless you have lots of experience.
They are peculiar because of their feeding habits. While juveniles, they will mostly feed on meaty food such as insects, crustaceans and mollusks.
As they grow to their adult phase, however, they seem to like changing their diet to an omnivorous one, and they even start collecting decaying matter from the lake bottoms at some point.
In order to purchase this amazing fish which can stick around for about 20 years, you should be prepared to spend from US$ 70 for imported fry to US$ 2,000 for adults.
Australian Arowana
This massive island provides home to two handsome arowana species.
– Jardinii Arowana
If you are looking to have a single fish in your massive arowana tank, jardinii is probably your best choice. Indeed, although some specimens have been reported to successfully co-habitat with other large fish species, most individuals demonstrate no understanding for others whatsoever.
Jardinii arowanas tend to grow around 2 feet (only) in captivity tanks, so they can survive happily inside tanks such as 180 gallons. Their metallic bodies usually feature reddish or pink scales at the very ends, which makes them a certainly handsome type. Plus, they can survive around 20 years.
These fish may cost from US$ 250 up to US$ 3,000.
– Spotted Arowana (Southern Saratoga)
This pinkish variation of the Aussie arowana is not quite fully researched until now. What we know is that they can grow up to a size of around 1,5 foot. However, their bodies are less slim when compared to other arowanas, so they can certainly weigh more.
The spotted arowana may be your companion for about 10 years and it costs from US$ 300 up.
Asian Arowana
Last but not least, Asian arowanas are considered to the be the most stunning species ever, and they are also believed to bring good luck and prosperity. Therefore, prices are accordingly super-high.
– Green Arowana
Even though they mostly feature a visibly silverish coloration, they do become fluorescent green when placed under such lightning. These stunning fish may grow around 3 feet in captivity, and they are quite the rare pets.
And even if you manage to find one, you should only adopt it if you are an experienced aquarist. Indeed, these picky carnivorous can often reject food if unsuitable to their current mood, which makes them subjectable to various diseases.
These green monsters can live for 20 years or even more, but they do require extra care. Being so rare, they may cost you around US$ 2,500, even for small specimens. Prices go up for larger fish, but it is not known how much they can rise.
– Red Arowana
Red arowanas are among the most beautiful (and expensive) aquatic creatures on our planet. And they certainly deserve to be. As juveniles, they will only feature slightly reddish areas around their heads, so do not think you have been fooled.
Only once they reach 3 years of life, they start developing a flame red coloration all over their bodies. And once fully grown, these creatures are just majestic. If you take good care of them, you may be facing an incredible companion for more than 20 years.
They are currently on the IUCN list of endangered species, so prices are huge if you manage to find one. Indeed, be prepared to spend from US$ 1,500 up to the spectacular US$ 15,000. Yes, you read it right.
– Golden Arowana
And finally, we have saved the very incomparable arowana fish among all others- the golden arowana. And its name does not just refer to a slightly goldish coloration on some body parts. In fact, this fish is actually of a bright, shimmery golden color. Simply incredible!
They have a fairly shorter lifespan when compared to other species (10 years), but they certainly are worth all the effort and money for those who truly admire them. And the price is… just around US$ 30,000 for a highly rated adult.
Wrapping Up
If you have not been an arowana lover before reading our list, we hope that you have become one now. These magnificent creatures are stunning, long living, spectacular pets, and keeping them is certainly an adventure for life.
They are expensive for some species, but they fully deserve all the efforts. Truly unbelievable pets.
