In my opinion, Pellets are the best. There are 100 people recommending everything from market prawns, super worms etc to beef heart chicken heart etc. Pellets are the best because of these reasons:
1. The fat content is lesser than other food. It reduces the chance of drop eye.
2. The ingredients of pellets ensure that the nutrition is more uniform and complete. If feeding other foods, each food has 2 or 3 benefits maximum. Pellets are made after quite a lot of research. Reputed brands like Ocean Free and Hikari are very balanced.
3. The Arowana looks rugged and is most definitely a monster fish. However it has a very sensitive digestive system. The arowanas in the wild are a different story but the ones that are born in captivity and living in aquariums are not like their wild counter parts. Pellets are easier to digest.
The above points are very true in my own experience of keeping Arowanas in the last 15 years.
Yes, it is very difficult to pellet train an Arowana in theory. Believe me, people are not successful in pellet training because they get worried if the arowana does not eat in a couple of tries. Then in that worry they go and feed anything the Arowana accepts. This is a wrong approach. Dont worry. Arowanas can survive for months without food (as long as water quality and tank size are sufficient). I have had a X back Aro that protested without eating for 60 days.
So just starve the Aro for 3 to 4 days before you try pellets. It will take the pellet and spit it out. Remove the uneaten pellets. Try again the next day. In about 10 days or so the Aro will eat a pellet or 2. Once it does that dont keep on feeding. The moment it spits the next one out stop feeding. Starve for another day and offer. Keep repeating this process and your Aro will get used to it.
