Unpopular Opinions - Arowanas

[Caveden]

What causes dropeye? I don’t know much on aros…

No one can really confirm. Some say it’s due to build up of excessive fats due to fatty foods and diet. Others say due to banging against the lids of tank. Other genetics.

imo I think it is due to genetics, cause if silver arowanas and asians/ jardini are red same diet, the silver has a much higher possibility still of getting dropeye. Banging against the lid is just stupid honestly.

 

[Chino 61]

Just got a little guy in my 50 yesterday. at less than 2 inches he has my Rainbow Sharks at twice its size hiding in the rocks. In the next few months of growth he will go into the 75. Then into the 125. Then into the 250 forever home with the other big fish... Sadly he won't scare any of them lol

 

[krichardson]

No one can really confirm. Some say it’s due to build up of excessive fats due to fatty foods and diet. Others say due to banging against the lids of tank. Other genetics.

imo I think it is due to genetics, cause if silver arowanas and asians/ jardini are red same diet, the silver has a much higher possibility still of getting dropeye. Banging against the lid is just stupid honestly.

That is what I have read and what you've said seems to make plenty of sense to me.

 

[Rojo1991]

I

arapiamas are cool and all but I’m going to be honest I don’t really like how they look. They are just logs with wrinkly faces.

I always thought African aros looked like mini arapaimas

 

[Rojo1991]

Seems like there are lots of hybrid fishes coming Asia. If someone can hybrid the Asian arowana with a Jardini, that would make it legal to export to the USA. Genetically it won’t be an Asian arowana but looks similar. That would create a market in the USA. Maybe they have to be of a certain size so it’s distinguishable before it’s exported. Just a crazy thought.

Could happen. We have red tail/tiger shovelnose hybrids so I guess it’s possible lol

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

My unpopular opinion: all arowanas are waaaaaaay overrated. This opinion seems to be unpopular since arowana prices remain astronomically high.

As an example, I'd take a school of neons over any type of arowana any day. Better colors (IMO), much more compatible with many of my other favorites, won't suicidally jump out of the tank, won't get dropeye, and are ultimately much easier to care for.

One person I know had a $700 arowana jump out of its tank and die. That's $700 down the drain, and for perspective my 3 tanks put together cost less than it.

 

[TheyCallMeDanger]

You shouldn't be able to get arapaimas at pet stores you should have to go to specialized breeders

 

[Deadeye]

My unpopular opinion: all arowanas are waaaaaaay overrated. This opinion seems to be unpopular since arowana prices remain astronomically high.

As an example, I'd take a school of neons over any type of arowana any day. Better colors (IMO), much more compatible with many of my other favorites, won't suicidally jump out of the tank, won't get dropeye, and are ultimately much easier to care for.

One person I know had a $700 arowana jump out of its tank and die. That's $700 down the drain, and for perspective my 3 tanks put together cost less than it.

I certainly would like to keep one some day, but I agree that they seem quite overhyped.
I will say that tetras and aros is comparing apples to oranges. Both a beautiful in their own right, but no small fish can capture what a large one like an aro can.

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

no small fish can capture what a large one like an aro can.

The subjectivity of this statement is one of the reasons why I'll take, say, neons over arowanas. What draws me to fish are not their size, but their general appearance (color/color patterns, shape, etc) and activity (the more active the better, since it is more visible).
In fact, to an extent (that extent being to the point where it might get eaten by the larger fish within my favorites), the smaller the fish the better. I can have more of them, and I can have more fish in general in that tank.

But certainly, for some, that statement is true. Probably plays into arowana popularity, since few can resist seeing 70-100 cm fish.

 

[Deadeye]

The subjectivity of this statement is one of the reasons why I'll take, say, neons over arowanas. What draws me to fish are not their size, but their general appearance (color/color patterns, shape, etc) and activity (the more active the better, since it is more visible).
In fact, to an extent (taht extent being to the point where it might get eaten by the larger fish within my favorites), the smaller the fish the better. I can have more of them, and I can have more fish in general in that tank.

But certainly, for some, that statement is true. Probably plays into arowana popularity, since few can resist seeing 70-100 cm fish.

Each of them is amazing in their own right (the most beautiful tanks have a mix of big and small imo).