My silver arowana in 4500 gal

[thebiggerthebetter]

Our arowana bad streak goes on. In the last year we had lost two big old ones, Delray and Fre, and now the relative newcomer Falcorina has died at 30 inches at probably 2.5 years old. We got her less than a year ago. At present I believe this is just a coincidence and no common cause can I identify.

Falcorina had been doing exceptionally well, feeding vigorously, chasing all the 4 huge males around, who didn't answer back to her, bothering a new supposed female named Ylania in the 4500 gal so that I had to rehome Ylania to an 1800 gal. Then abruptly stopped feeding two months ago and just hovered in one corner, eventually losing ability to swim in the last days and passing in a hospital tank.

No clue why, perhaps an internal problem, or it swallowed a piece of spiny / bony fish the wrong way, which is far stretched but fathomable, I guess.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Photos of the recently lost Fre at 40" and 10 years old and Falcorina at 30" and 3 years old per above videos.




Falcorina:

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Oh. I am so sorry for your loss. What did he die of?

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

I assume you are asking about the 40" male named Fre. Short answer is IDK.

Long...

-- it was 10 yo, which is on the low end of their alleged lifespan in captivity of 10-20 years.
-- It had had a hard life for the first couple of years of its life before it was "rescued" by us and who knows what damage had already been done to its health.
-- It didn't have the best of life with me either, believe me, despite larger tanks.
-- Plus it is a farm raised arowana and such fish do not enjoy the health and longevity of their wild kin where the survival of the fittest rules ruthlessly and culls all weaker fish. Man-raised fish are known to possess all kinds of genetic deviations for the worse.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

In addition to the recent rescues the 8-yo Hsieha (Vicotria's aro) and 1.5-yo Ilana (from Dylan), who had grown well in the 1800 gal and how live in the 4500 gal, we got 1.5-yo 22" Beaker (from Ron), who took their place in the 1800 gal:

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Our Amazonian arowana are getting into the breeding mood. We have had them spawn in prior years and collected baby clutches. Males are mouthbrooders and keep the young in their mouth for ~6 weeks until ~2" size. Usually about 30-50 babies.

Our personal sexing observation: female pelvic fins and extensions reach past the anus versus the shorter and smaller fins of males not quite reaching the anus.

Alf is an alpha male, 3.5' / 105 cm, 8 years old, the biggest, raised from 3" by us.

Flap is a male, 3' / 90 cm, 6 years old, rescued in 2017, origin - Sean Decker, Ft. Myers, FL.

Hsieha is a female, 2.5' / 75 cm, 9 years old, rescued at 2' last year, stunted (disproportionally big head), spent 8 years in a 120 gal, origin - the Hsieh family, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

Ylana is a female, 2.5' / 75 cm, 3 years old, rescue, last year, origin - Dylan, Bonita Springs / Estero, FL.

 

[andyroo]

I brought home 5lbs of headless Banga Mary (Macrodon ancylodon) and our girl just won't eat it. Attacks, mouths, collects again from bottom, whatever - spits right back out. SPOILED girl, waiting for her octopus & cicadas. I can't imagine trying to feed a whole pack of 'em.
At least this stuff curries nicely...

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Thanks for this bit, Andy. Sounds like the arowana merely not hungry enough and/or hesitant as it may not accept new types of feed easily, especially if it has been fed the same diet over a long time.

We don't baby our arowana. They are strong and adaptable enough to survive in our community tanks and compete for feed on their own.

 

[andyroo]

Oh, she's plenty hungry, causing all manner of ruckus trolling for leftover beetles in the surface fake-flora.
I reckon you're right, she'd benefit from some punchier tank-mates to keep her from this complacency; I was thinking of some nice tiger oscars, but now thinking wild-caught cranky-ass, cherry-eye'd Black River jags...

Also shopping for a #2 (boy?) but he/she'd be 2yrs in grow-out. Let's see.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

The years were 2009-2011. The place was Rochester, NY. Half a dozen of our first rescue arowana 1.5'-2.5', except for the 55 gal in the first photo, in 4000 gal 40'x6'x3' tropical pond in the basement: