SILVER AROWANA

Main Places of Origin:
Areas around the Amazon River.

Characteristics:
Flat and long body, small tail, big head, when it is young, the bottom color of dosal fin is bluish pink, body is shiny like silver, with a little pink colour. After growing, the big scales are like shells in semi-circle, the side line has 31 to 35 scales, its body is silver in colour with a little blue and light pink and is sparkling and shining.

It has a pair of barbels, lower lip longer than the upper one, ven fin has around 50 to 55 hard fin rays, hard fin ray of dosal fin around 42 to 46 and pelvic fin can extend to 4 to 6cm long.

PEARL OR AUSTRALIA AROWANA

Characteristics:
It can be categorized as either the Northern Barramundi or the Spotted Barramundi. The Spotted Barramundi resembles the Southeast Asian Arowana but it has a different colour. Its figure is smaller, narrower and its barbells are shorter and softer. Its caudal dorsal fins, and anac fin have golden stripes, while its scales are gold and silver in colour. It can lay 50 to 200 eggs each time, with each egg a diameter of 1cm. 
 
The Spotted Barramundi and Northern Barramundi are in fact quite the same with the only difference being the Spotted Barramundi having a smaller body with red spots while its anac, dorsal and caudal fins having golden stripes are silvery green with yellow patches. Its side line has 35 scales, its anac fin has 31 hard fin rays while its caudal fin has 21. 
 

GREEN AROWANA

Characteristics:
Scales are green in colour. And these are shorter than those of other kinds of Arowana. Its side line is particularly manifested.

It can be from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Myanmar and can also be bred artifically. The most famous and precious one is the one with a purple spot mark on its scales and the others are one of the cheapest Arowana.  
 

MALAYSIAN GOLDEN

Characteristics:
Resembles the Red Tail Golden Arowana with the only difference being its golden scale being crossed over with a dark green colour on its back, while its whole body is shinning gold in colour.

Because of its limited quantity due to low production rate by nature, and also its high demand in the market, its price is high, and in recent years, its price is the same as Red Arowana, if not higher. It is also quite popular in the Southeast Asian region and is getting more and more popular in Japan.

RED TAIL GOLDEN

Main Places of Origin:
Kalimantan and Sumatra of Indonesia.

Characteristics:
The back of the fish, inclusive of dorsal fin and the upper part of caudal fin is dark green colour. The frame of its scales is shining gold. A good Golden Arowana has its gold colour developing even to half of its scales. The cover of its gills is bright gold in colour without red marks.

This kind of Arowana is not only popular in Indonesia but also in Southeast Asia Region. Its price is reasonable.  
 

RED AROWANA

Main Places of Origin:
Kalimantan and Sumatra of Indonesia.

Characteristics:
With special red marks on the cover of its gills. The colour on every part of its fins and frame of fins can be either orange, pink, dark red or blood red. The whole body is sparkling and possesses special charm. 
 
The fish is widely regarded in Hong Kong as "Red Arowana of spitting pearls" and in Malaysia as "Fish of flourishing home". The only places of it origin is Kalimantan and Sumatra of Indonesia. 

THE ASIAN AROWANA (Introduction)

The Asian Arowana (Scleropages Formosus) or better known as the 'Dragon Fish', has been regarded as one of the Kings in Aquatic World due its immense popularity, value and great looks. The unique shape, large mouth and scales, and air of mystery have made Asian Arowanas so special that they have stolen the heart of many hobbyists. With its close resemblance to the China Ancient Dragon, many Chinese all over the world believed that 'Dragon Fish' symbolises luck, wealth, prosperity and strength. Thus making it one of the best fish to keep for good Feng Shui. It is said that water is where 'Chi' gathers and 'Sheng Chin' in an aquarium, is said to be benefical. However, to ensure that the watre has Yong energy, auspicious fish are necessary. This is where the 'Dragon Fish' comes in demand, being widely accepted as the symbol of wealth.

There are basically 4 different natural occuring colour varieties for Asian Arowanas, namely Cross Back Golden from West Malaysia, Super Red from Indonesia's West Kalimantan, Red Tail Golden from Indonesia Pekanbaru and the Green variety, which can be found in rivers of Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand. Due to its popularity and great demand, Asian Arowanas have been fiercely hunted at its native habitat for profits, thus the popuplation of these fish in the wild has declined very drastically over the years. This is especially so for Malaysian Golden Arowanas and Red Arowanas, which have reached a stage of near extinction since 1980s. Fortunately, Arowanas come under protection by the listing of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and are classified as an endangered species, threatened with extinction in CITES Appendix I. Since then, any illegal trading and hunting of such fishes from the wild are accompanied with heavy penalties. Even now, the trading of Asian Arowanas is still banned in country like United States of America. Taiwan had only recently lifted it ban on the trading of Asian Arowanas.