How to Keep Red Arowana? Detailed Guide to Breeding Methods and Daily Care Tips
A well-kept red arowana has its whole body covered with red scales, and its color changes as it grows and develops, which is one of the great joys of keeping one. How do you keep a red arowana well?
How to keep a red arowana
1. The red arowana's tank must be large, at least 1.5*0.6*0.6 m in size; if the space for activity is too small, it will hinder the development of its body shape. Red arowanas are mostly kept in a darker environment, so you can choose to cover three sides of the tank with darker-colored backgrounds, leaving only one side for viewing.
2. The water temperature and pH value of the tank must be stable and must not fluctuate greatly. Keep the water temperature at 25-28°C and the pH between 6-7. Do not change the water too frequently; changing about 1/3 of the old water once a week is enough. When changing the water, the standards for the new and old water should be the same. The new water added should also be poured slowly along the tank wall.
3. The tank must be covered. Arowanas are upper-layer fish, and a cover can prevent the arowana from jumping out of the tank, getting injured from the fall, or suffocating to death.
4. The tank should be equipped with a filter, an oxygen pump, and a tank light. For the tank light, it is recommended to use two underwater lights together with a double-tube bracket light; generally turn on the red light for 6-8 hours, though 15 hours is also fine, to help enhance its color.
5. When the red arowana is 20-35 cm long, it is still shaping its body. During this period, mainly feed it shrimp; the shrimp do not need to be large, just cut them with the shell on into pieces about half the size of a little fingernail. Shrimp shells are rich in a large amount of natural astaxanthin and calcium, which are of the greatest help to the arowana's color development. Feed it to 70% full each time; it is best if the fish swallows it in one bite.
6. In the later stage, besides shrimp, the bait can also include small fish, loaches, frogs, centipedes, and so on, ensuring a balanced nutritional diet. It is recommended not to feed things like barley worms often, because their fat content is too high; feeding them once in a while is enough. Also, do not feed some animal internal organs, as they carry too many bacteria and are unhygienic. When feeding, to avoid the red arowana moving too violently and hitting the tank, try to place the food at a point near the middle of the tank. Feed more live food so that the red arowana swims more, which helps the development of its body shape. Be sure to feed it regularly, and it is best to use the method of small, frequent meals.
In the process of keeping a red arowana, the main thing is to provide it with a good environment for color development, and at the same time not to startle it too much.