how to choose a good quality arowana and flower horn?

Question

i want to buy a young arowana and flowerhorn. pls give me some tips on how to look and what to look for in a arowana and flower horn. thanks

Answer 1

The flower horn is one of the most agressive fish that is kept in the home aquarium. They typically will not tolerate any other fish in a tank with them. An arrowana would eventually be killed by the horn. I would choose either one or the other.

Also, if you pick the arrowana, be advised they are jumpers by nature and will end up on the floor if you do not have a secure lid with weights on top.

Look for good color in the horn with no torn fins. A healthy adult fish will meet you at the front of the tank and watch you. Kind of like a challenge. In sub adults, ask the clerk to let you see them eat and try to buy the one that is the most agressive when he drops the food into the tank.

A healthy arrowana will cruise around the tank unless it is too small and it feels confined. Also good to see them eat too. Do not buy a small arrowana with an egg sac still attached. They usually are very difficult to keep alive. Look for one about 4-5 inches long with a hint of color in the tail and anal fins.

No hollow bellies on either species, that is a sign of internal parasites.

Answer 2

I think that 8 gave you some good input on the Flowerhorn, I really can't help much there, I've only seen them but I haven't even asked questions about them or owned them to give tips on buying, but I'd go with his.

I have had five silvers and 1 Asian Arowana that was cross bred with a jardini so it could be imported to USA. I think the person just above me gave some great input on what to look for as well as Andy and 8. Arowana's, the silver ones at least, I have not seen many show any signs of defects early on. This doesn't mean it doesn't happen, I just haven't seen any yet. The body should be tapered with it being wider on the head and mid body regions, and become smaller top to bottom towards the tail. The fanning of the tail in most cases will have some tinted shading in them as they get older, most of the times it will be pinkish to red. Look at thier barbels, thats those two objects in the front of the mouth. They should at most times be straight outwards. A younger Arowana will not have as much lenght to them as an older one, and will have a more distinct forked appearence and as they get older and larger, will appear to be more lined up even.

A younger Arowana should be more active in a tank, if you are buying from a dealer that has a show tank. They will tend to eat more then the adults as well. The coloration on the body of a younger Silver should be very shiney looking, and the scale markings along the body should be flush with no flaws. The eye's should have free range of movements to scan the tank upwards and downwards. Do not buy an Arowana that is looking downwards. The most common adult problem with Arowanas is droop eye which cannot be treated or fixed. This occurs mostly in adults in captivity that are eating on the live feeders. In nature this fish eats insects, mice, small birds ect.. things that can be obtain on or just off the surface of the water. In captivity however you must keep that tank completely covered unless you like to see your fish flopping around on the floor. If there is any opening an Arowana can exploit, it will. They jump very well in nature, in tanks, they will do the same. Arowana's are jittery by nature when younger, don't be alarmed if you find him darting for cover when you approach your tank. An Arowana has very few natural enemies, but they have a great range of vision and can sense water movements all around the tank and feel the vibrations outside of the tank from very far away. This may cause your Arowana to become jittery and dart around the tank as well as make increased sudden turns in it's swimming.

Follow andy's advice about the body and the other poster above me gave you a great tip on the eyes.

JV

Answer 3

For an arowana look at its eyes make sure they are looking straight and arnt droopy. Also make sure they hang out at the top of the tank. They have 2 horns in their top lip make sure its black and big even when young. Make sure their colorful also and responsive although they tend to hide to new owners.

Also im thinking your new to arowanas so ill just say what to feed it when its a baby/juvenille

Feed it insects many people neglect this but they do love insects if you have a coca-roach problem and you havent used chemicals or pesticides catch one and throw it in, but not the first week make sure its comfortable in your tank then throw it in and he will look at it wiggling for a while then gulp it.

Also when you first buy it and may go straight to the bottom and lay their. This is normal dont think you bought a sick fish sooner or later it will be at the top.

I have never owned a flower horn so i wont give you advice on those :/


BTW the guy on top said flowerhorn and arowana don't go together, well a lot of people say a lot of big aggressive fishes don't go together i mean i keep my clown knife with my arowana just make sure the tank is big.

Anyways heres a video of an arowana with a flowerhorn, they dont look like they have much tensions they actually look great together if you ask me lol :] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck2JuR7JMNg

Answer 4

Its the same with almost any fish, they should have no blemish's, fins should be displayed with no tears, and they should be willing to come towards the top of the tank if you waggle your fingers indicating they'll readily feeds.
There should be no dead, injured or ill fish in the same tank and if the tank in question is running with a bank of tanks of a main reservoir check all the other tanks as well.
Colour should be bright and eyes should be clear, in the case of some fish eyes should have colouring in them like discus there eyes should be bright red.
If they re in a tank of juveniles you should be able to pick out the most dominant one so choose him/her.

AJ

And seen as 8in the corner is more attuned to the fish you want go with what ever he says, I've never kept a flowerhorn. But everything he says makes sense

Answer 5

No. Flownerhorn will also be very competitive whether it is male. They will rip off the little feeler fins at the arowanas snout as good because the fins coming from the chest discipline. Arowana develop to be very colossal, and want double the oxygenation as average fish. If you've it in a 50 gallon for illustration, you could ought to be making use of an airpump for a one hundred gallon tank. If the tank isn't no less than seventy five gallons, it's NOT massive sufficient. Flowerhorns are a lovely cichlid, but they aren't too general. It is a truly disgrace considering the fact that one of the most colour versions are fairly lovely. These cichlids are convenient to reproduce, however complicated to hold. They are identical in dimension to oscars or midas cichlids, however they want larger filtration as they may be able to come to be touchy to deficient water stipulations. Males will develop a colossal hump on their head which will frequently make seeing what's in entrance of them complicated, so make certain the tank does no longer have decorations with sharp edges of he's going to undoubtedly injure himself. Arowana don't seem to be overly competitive, however complete grown grownup flowerhorns, notably men, are and won't consider two times approximately killing your very pricey arowana. A feminine flowerhorn possibly adequate, however they aren't as stunning because the men, so you may also no longer desire one. A complete grown arowana and a whole grown flowerhorn desire a minimal tank dimension of a hundred and twenty gallons. There is NO acception. Anything much less will influence in lifeless fish, believe me. Arowana are from robust flowing rivers, that's why they want prime oxygenation The water they're from has prime floor agitation leading to very prime oxygenation. If you upload yet another fish to their tank, so one can fritter away one of the most oxygen, you ought to make certain the tank is massive sufficient and the approach you utilize to oxygenate the water is wonderful. My proposal, 2 special airpumps with more than one airstones, reside vegetation, a well clear out, and perhaps even a powerhead. Arowana are particularly robust, they usually soar. Your tank lid demands to be very heavy and at ease with NO openings. I could no longer preserve an arowana with a flowerhorn, but when the arowana is enormously bigger than the flowerhorn, you possibly adequate. It additionally depends upon the character fish. If you cross to seem at a flowerhorn on the retailer and it smacks towards the glass to assault you, its commonly no longer going to reside good with an arowana. It it kind of feels docile, and even hides, it is going to be more secure. Still, there's not ever garantee. These are competitive fish and they may be able to snap for no cause. Do NOT feed those fish wild frogs, or grasshoppers. These animals are uncovered to fertilizers and insecticides external within the grass, soil and rivers. These chemical substances will probably be absorbed within the fish's digestive process, poison them, and kill them. Never feed those fish ANYTHING however retailer purchased meals. Flowerhorns and arowanas are one of the most so much pricey freshwater fish, why waste your cash to peer it devour a few dull frog? You can feed the arowana reside retailer purchased mice if you happen to like. I in my view don't consider its proper to do this while fish meals is more healthy for it, however a few house owners love doing so, so knock your self out I consider. I could feed them meaty meals. Oh, additionally frogs bones can motive bowel obstruction and kill your fish. They do devour frogs within the wild now and again, however they're very small.