You have heard of the prized Asian Arowana. If you were given a choice between an Asian Arowana and a Silver Arowana, you are likely to choose the famous Asian Arowana.

You have the desire to own an Asian Arowana. However, the Asian Arowana is a protected species and you will need to fork out a lot of money to get one fish.

If you are new to the hobby of taking care of Arowana, it is a huge risk to spend so much money on an Asian Arowana without knowing how to take care of it.

You have heard of the prized Asian Arowana. If you were given a choice between an Asian Arowana and a Silver Arowana, you are likely to choose the famous Asian Arowana.

You have the desire to own an Asian Arowana. However, the Asian Arowana is a protected species and you will need to fork out a lot of money to get one fish.

If you are new to the hobby of taking care of Arowana, it is a huge risk to spend so much money on an Asian Arowana without knowing how to take care of it.

While the Arowana family is a relatively hardy fish, that does not mean the fish will not die.

Many people are in similar dilemma.

They have the desire to own such a majestic fish. The price and the lack of experience are two factors that deter them.

The best alternative is to buy a Silver Arowana.

The Silver Arowana is not the same genre as the Asian Arowana.

The Silver Arowana is not a protected fish. The fish looks different from its fame cousin as well. The Silver Arowana has an elongated body, and have longer fins.

However, it shares many characteristics with its cousins from Asia, Africa and Australia.

1.

Size

Silver Arowana is a big fish. You cannot keep it in a small tank. The fish can grow to 36 inches.

Some fishermen even report seeing a four feet fish in the wild.

It will outgrow the tank in a matter of months if you keep the fish in a medium tank.

While the baby fish looks cute and alert, you will notice that the fish doubles its size practically every month.

That is why it is better to have at least a 4 feet tank if you want to keep a single fish.

If you want to keep a community tank, make sure you have at least a 6 feet bank.

2. Team mate

You cannot keep the Silver Arowana with the guppies, the mollies and other smaller fish.

You need to keep the fish alone if you have a four feet tank.

If you intend to keep a community tank, make sure you choose the fishes that grow equally rapidly, and will grow to similar size.

The best is to keep a few Silver Arowanas together or keep it with large fish, such as the Oscar fish.

3. Ability to jump

The fish is a predator. It jumps if it sees the cockroach running across the roof.

It is important to have a heavy cover over the tank.

When the fish is full grown, it will have the ability to knock off the fish tank cover. Some hobbyists put two bricks on the fish tank cover, just to prevent the fish from jumping out.

Some hobbyists like this particular ability of the Silver Arowana. If you hold a wriggling worm a few feet above the fish tank, you will witness the magnificent Silver Arowana jumps to catch the worm.

Can you imagine a whole lump of silver jumping out of the tank, grab the worm and dive into the water again?

This is exactly the thrill of owning a Silver Arowana.

4. Coloration

While many hobbyists enjoy the red coloration of the Super Red Arowana, there is no doubt that the Silver Arowana is a good looking fish.

You can feed the Silver Arowana with special pellets or selection of live feed to enhance the coloration.

You will soon find that the scales reflect the shiny silver color, and the fish looks as well as a bar of pure silver.

The difference is that the Silver Arowana is a living pet. It will recognize its owner, and greet the owner happily.

5. Food

The Silver Arowana is not as fussy as the Asian Arowana.

It can eat live feeds, such as worms, insects or feeder fish. However, it can survive on pellets as well.

You buy frozen shrimps or worms for the fish as a treat.

You will need to feed the young fish at least twice a day.

However, when the fish reaches adult size, you can feed it once in every two days.

The adult sized Silver Arowana can go without food for a couple of weeks. That is why it is a great fish for those who travel outstation frequently.

As a side note, Silver Arowana is an edible fish. While most hobbyists never even think of eating their fish, some hobbyists cook the dead fish and find it very sweet and tasty. The Silver Arowana is a popular edible fish in its native land. The fishermen love to catch the fish for dinner.

It is hard to imagine keeping the fish for ten years, and then cook and eat the meat. Many hobbyists view the fish as dear as their children.

Some spouses even complain that the hobbyists spend more time when the fish than spend time with the family.

While some people keep Silver Arowana to gain experience before buying an Asian Arowana, many hobbyists do fall in love with the fish.

It is known as tamer and less arrogant than the Asian Arowana. If you are treating it as a Feng Shui fish, you will feel disappointed with the negative comments in various forums.

There are negative remarks such as calling it a useless fish, since it can eat a lot but never bring wealth.

Many lovers of Silver Arowana are equally adamant about defending their pet fish.

That is why it is best to own and keep a fish for the sake of loving the fish. Forget about all the negative remarks, and try to bond with your beloved Silver Arowana.

The joy of watching the fish swim to you, and eating out of your hand is incomparable.

About me:

Scheng1 is a passionate blogger from Singapore. Rich in every sense reveals my deep desire in enjoying life, and be rich in every possible ways. Personal Finance is about money, from making money to investing money.  Retirement in Asia contains resources on overseas retirement.