The Australian arowana, or pearl arowawa as it is known, is found in freshwater areas of northern Australia. Although the pearl arowana fish is a relative of the Asian arowawa fish, it had a better chance since it did not find its way onto the CITES endangered list. Although collected by arowana enthusiasts worldwide and widely fished throughout northern Australia, its numbers have remained high.
The background behind the Australian Arowana is that it is the most aggressive of the Arowana breeds. They generally grow to between 2 and 3 feet in length, making them quite a large fish. As the Pearl Arowana is more common than the Asian Arowana, it is expected to be cheaper in price. Another plus is that there are no major regulations or restrictions on the sale or ownership of this Arowana breed.
A very important factor to remember when purchasing a pearl arowana is that it is likely wild caught. There are very few of this species of fish that are actually tank bred and cared for. So if you buy one, be sure to take a good look at it at the pet store before taking it home. Take a look at how it is behaving in the aquarium to see if it looks stressed. Also chat with the staff at the shop to see how the arowana feeds. Make sure he eats well and find out the types of foods they use on him.
A final point worth making is that the pearl arowana is almost 100% carnivorous in its diet. That means you have to feed the fish live bait, so I hope you’re not being squeamish. Be sure to get the live bait from a reliable source to avoid spreading disease to your fish. You can feed them mainly crickets, earthworms, frogs, small fish and small mice, but again only from a reliable source. People always ask if they can feed their arowana frogs from their garden but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Well I hope I have given you another option in your search for an affordable Arowana. Asian arowanas are always what people talk about, but they’re outside of many people’s price range. The Australian Arowana will cost you less and to be honest their energy and aggression makes it more fun to watch.
Thanks to Dr John Smith
