(Please note that the fish shown in the photo is only a representative of what an adult specimen would look like. The color may vary based on the age and sex of the fish you receive.)
Scientific Name: Scleropages jardinii
Common Name: Australian Arowana, Jardini Arowana
Adult Size: 36 inches
Life Expectancy: 8 - 12 years
Habitat: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia
Minimum Tank Size: 180 Gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 75 - 84°F
- pH Range: 6.8 - 7.5
- Water Hardness: 8 - 15
Temperament: Predatory and often aggressive towards tankmates, should be kept solitary or with larger, fast-moving dither fish
Diet & Nutrition: Earthworms, crickets, waxworms, and frozen and dried foods such as bloodworm, shrimp, mussel and pellets.
Breeding & Spawning: Infrequently bred in captivity. This is a mouthbrooding species, but unlike with the asian species it is the female who cares for the brood. The fry remain with the female once they have hatched, leaving her mouth to forage. If danger approaches she will signal for the fry to return. Slowly the fry begin to spend more and more time away from the adult fish, until they are large enough to fend for themselves.
Gender: Mature males have a longer anal fin. Males also have lower pectoral fins then females. They say that males will also have longer barbs on their mouths but that is debatable.