Which arowana for a "community" tank?

[Mkvc]

I have a 210g cycled and ready to go that I'm planning to use as a "community" grow out tank with an Oscar or two, some bichirs, and maybe a few other large aggressive oddballs if they turn up at my LFS. I want to add a single baby arowana until he's 18''-24'' or so, then I'd move him to my basement pond. I've grown out several massive morays in saltwater communities and I really enjoy watching everyone change together over the years.

I'm in the US, so no Asians. I've decided against a silver because of their tendency to develop dropeye. Leichardti are a bit too expensive for my first rodeo with this kind of fish. I've never seen an African for sale. So that leaves me with only two options, the jardini and the black. At least locally, they run about the same price at 4''.

I like the look of the jardini better, but I read that they turn psycho when the hit a foot long. I understand that no matter what I do I'm taking a risk here... but if you were me, which would you buy?

Thanks for the input!

 

[aquaticeye]

jardini are very aggro

blacks are very mellow

highly advise black for a community

 

[Trouser Cough]

The Asian breeders have ruined the silver arowana. The black is for certain what you're looking for if you don't want a genetically defective fish. The black will be a hair smaller in the long run and a hair more colorful than the silver. Beyond that they might as well be the same fish.

Be that as it may, I don't consider them to be aggressive. Their mouths are lined w/ teeth and they look the part but in my view they're not particularly sturdy in the way that most agro fish are. As an example, in one of my tanks I have 3 peacock bass and a black aro. The bass are 1/3 the size of the aro but at feeding time the aro will zoom up to the part of the tank that's about to have food dumped in and then zoom to the other side of the tank as they're simply not a feisty fish.

I have a mono that will try to bite me through the glass when he sees that I have food in my hand. He's pissed off and ready for a contest any day / any time; right here and right now would be good. The aro though?

Skittish, pretty, unique, prehistoric appearance, carnivorous, etc. All that and more but aggressive? Not even close.