How to tell male from female silver arowana? A few simple methods to identify them
The silver arowana is a large predatory fish, scientific name Osteoglossum bicirrhosum. Its whole body flashes with silvery scales, and its sleek and imposing appearance has long captivated fish enthusiasts. Its temperament is also considered quite mild among all osteoglossids, so keeping it in a community tank will not bring the owner much trouble. Let us take a look below at how to tell male from female silver arowana!
Breeding habits of the silver arowana
The silver arowana spawns one to three times in a season, about 200 to 300 eggs each time. After spawning, within 40 to 50 days the male holds the fertilized eggs in its mouth, and during this period the parent fish hardly feed at all, just devotedly guarding their young. Only when the fry grow to 3-4 cm do the parent fish spit them out. The hatched fry carry a yolk sac, and after living on the yolk sac for about 8 days the fry can develop into young fish able to swim and feed.
How to tell male from female silver arowana?
1. Body shape: Usually the male silver arowana is longer than the female silver arowana under the same conditions. It seems that in most species the male is larger than the female.
2. Pelvic fins: Usually the pelvic fins of the male silver arowana are rather pointed and long, while those of the female silver arowana are not very long and are not as long as those of the male.
3. Belly: Among mature silver arowana individuals, the female appears rather swollen in the belly because she carries eggs. This is also a relatively direct feature for distinguishing male from female silver arowana.
4. Head shape: Under natural conditions the male holds all the fertilized eggs in its mouth for incubation, so in terms of head shape the male silver arowana appears larger.
5. Gill area: On the female silver arowana a pretty letter A can be seen on the gill area, and the arrowhead part is shorter than that of the male. The A on the male silver arowana is irregular, and the arrowhead part is also relatively long.
How should the silver arowana be kept well?
1. Tank preparation: The silver arowana is a large fish, so the tank should be at least 1.5 m long, 0.5 m wide and 0.7 m high. At the same time, the tank must have a cover, because the silver arowana is a fish that swims in the upper layer and likes to jump, so as to avoid it leaping out of the tank when no one is around and dying of suffocation.
2. Putting new fish into the tank: When the new fish has just been bought back, the tank must thoroughly eliminate the chlorine in the water. If conditions permit, it is best to take water from the new fish's original tank back into one's own tank, and taking back 1/3 is best, to help the new fish with the adverse reaction to the sudden environmental change.
3. Feeding and food training: Newly introduced young silver arowana fry should start food training from the 2nd day. Live bloodworms can be used (first soak them for 15 minutes in an aqueous solution of 3% table salt and 5 g/L furazolidone before feeding). Be very careful during the operation, and the feeding amount should be such that it is eaten within 20 minutes.
4. Changing food at the right time: Within 10 days of age, silver arowana fry are mainly fed live bloodworms; after 10 days of age, switch to quick-frozen bloodworms; in the 3rd month, gradually transition to shrimp. In the 1st month feed a total of 5 times per day, in the 2nd month 4 times, in the 3rd month 3 times, and in the 4th month 2 times.
5. Adjusting density: The silver arowana grows relatively fast, so the density must be adjusted according to growth. It is best to sort once every 1 month: the 1st time stock 150 fish per tank, the 2nd time 70 fish per tank, the 3rd time 25 fish per tank, and afterwards gradually reduce the stocking number.
6. Water quality management: The silver arowana is suited to living in weakly acidic water. The water pH must be kept between 6.5 and 7.5. Change the water once every three days, one third or one quarter each time, and at the same time regularly clean the filter cotton, white cotton and other filter materials.