Common name: Leichardti Pearl Arowana, Leichardti Arowana, Dragon Fish, and Leichardti Dragonfish
Scientific name: Scleropages Leichardti
Average Adult Fish Size: 36 inches / 90 cm
Place of Origin: Australia
Typical Tank setup: A lot of swimming space is necessary. Decorate with rock work, bogwood/driftwood and sturdy plants. An agitated Asian Arowana may uproot plants with poor root systems.
Recommended Minimum Aquarium Capacity: 55 gallon / 220 litre for juveniles, but a fully grown adult will need an aquarium that is 250 gallon / 1000 litre or larger.
Compatibility: 6 or more juveniles can be kept together, but 10 or more is better. The same with adults, but this is a gamble as some adults do not tolerate others of their own kind well. Beside keeping them in schools they should be kept with peaceful to moderately aggressive fish that cannot be eaten and that will not harass the Arowana.
Temperature: 75 – 86 Deg F / 24 – 30 Deg C
Water chemistry: pH 7.0 – 7.7
Feeding: Juveniles will readily eat small fish, tadpoles, live brine shrimp, live brown worms, small earthworms and other live foods, but should be trained to accept pellets, sticks, chunk of frozen foods, chopped and whole market shrimp, and other meaty foods. It is not only less expensive to feed an Asian Arowana prepared foods instead of feeder fish, but it is also healthier for it too.
Sexing: There are studies that correlate head size to gender that are 70% accurate
Breeding: Pearl Arowanas are mouthbrooders and are readily bred in large ponds, but rarely in aquariums.
Additional Information: It is critical that the aquarium has a tight fitting and secured lid that is extremely strong. Arownas are avid jumpers and can easily knock a heavy glass lid onto the floor! Many an Arowana has been lost this way. They do not tolerate poor water quality, so excellent filtration along with frequent partial water changes of 25% or more is required to keep nitrates low.
Their tank should be placed in low traffic areas to keep the Arowana from getting frightened by sudden movements. Sudden movements around their aquarium should be avoided. Lighting should preferably be dimmed instead of suddenly turning it on or off. A scared or agitated Arowana can easily injure itself.
The Leichardti Arowana, also known as the Leichardti Dragonfish, like all arowanas is a freshwater scaled fish. Common mispellings are Leichardti Arrowana or Leichardti Arawana. Often growing up to three feet in length, these fish can be both challenging and rewarding to the aquarium enthusiast.
Place of origin is Australia…