Arowana Care – How to Get an Affordable Arowana

Of all the Arowana species in the world, nothing compares to the beauty and majesty of the Asian varieties of Arowana. You can’t imagine how breathtaking the beauty of a Golden Arowana can be, it really does look like its scales are really made of gold. Also impressive is the rarer Super Red Arowana, with its blood-red coloration and graceful air it has when it swims. The Asian varieties of Arowanas are truly deserving of the title of “King of the Aquarium”.

But these beautiful fish have drawbacks too. Due to strict trade restriction the Asian Arowanas are really hard to come by, thus jacking up their prices to exorbitant levels; and it doesn’t help that it’s very difficult to successfully breed them. So owning a “King” may be impossible for common-folk, but worry not, there is an alternative. Introducing the cheaper, but equally captivating Silver Arowana…

The Silver Arowana is an excellent substitute for its more expensive Asian cousins. Not only are they readily available they are quite affordable too. The Silver Arowana is a lot tougher than the other types so it does not require quite as much attention as the other, which is a welcome treat to the new Arowana enthusiast that doesn’t know all that much about raising the fish. And if you haven’t seen any Asian Arowanas yet, you’ll swear that the Silver Arowana is the most beautiful fish you have ever seen.

Aside from the colors, there isn’t much difference, physically, between the Silver and the Asian Arowana. They both have the characteristic “bone-tongue”, chin barbells, and the same upward-angled large mouth. The only difference is in the fins and the body shape, the silver Arowana have a more slender, tapered body than its Asian counterpart. And their fins are significantly longer. Size-wise the Silver doesn’t grow as big as the Asian Arowana, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a small fish. When fully-grown, the Silver Arowana can reach a length of 24-30 inches, and with proper nutrition and care they might even hit 3 feet.
Silver Arowanas does not just come in silver; there are other shades as well. They may have silvery, light grey or white body coloration. And like paint on cars, the colors can be metallic or flat. They may be solid in color but some specimens possess a few specks of color in their scales. The fins and tails can be all red or blue, or colored just along the edges.

For the common man who cannot afford the very expensive and rare Asian variety of Arowanas, the Silver Arowana is the next best thing. Not only is it more affordable, it also has the same regal features that its Asian cousins have.