The Benefits Mystics of Keeping an Arowana

Arowana Fish or Scleropages formousus is a kind of ornamental fish is very popular and a relatively high price. Arowanas are freshwater bony fish of the family Osteoglossidae, also known as bonytongues. From its primitive origins, the arowana made its way as one of the most sought after aquarium fishes by both avid aquarists and collectors. There are a number of reasons why aquarium owners like to keep arowanas as pets. While some choose to have arowana as a pet for their long-lifespan and intriguing qualities, others revere such fish for its ‘mystical’ qualities which some believe, is able to bring good luck and a certain level of security to its owner. The most zealous collectors even keep arowanas, also known as dragon fish and bonytongues, as a status symbol.

Arowana Fish enthusiasts believe that keeping fish in an aquarium really has medical benefits. Arowanas are great to own, not just for decorative purposes but for health purposes as well.  True, arowanas offer medical benefits to its owners.  Just the act of watching your arowana swim on his tank can give you such a soothing effect which is able to relax your heart and mind.  Because of arowanas known soothing effect to people, most dental clinics keep an arowana aquarium around to ensure that their patients are completely relaxed during their visit.  It is even proven that patients require lesser painkillers when arowanas are around.
However, never think that owning an arowana is easy.  In fact, it is a challenging one considering the expensiveness of its upkeep.  Even the arowana itself is proven to be highly expensive.  Still, many decide to buy it and keep those arowanas in their home or any other place that they stay because of the benefits that these fish offer.

Many arowana owners have even rave about the fact that the benefits of owning arowana fish extremely exceeds the cost involved in buying it.  They say that the tranquility and peace of mind arowanas make them feel are extremely priceless.  Because of this, they are prepared to pay for the price just to have the fish in their place.  If you decide to own arowanas, then you have to know that keeping it requires a lot of diligence and patience on your part especially in mastering effective arowana care techniques.  You cannot expect the fish to give you the benefits that you expect them to give if you are unaware of those techniques that will surely bring out the best in them.  You have to make your research so you will be able to obtain the benefits that you expect from your arowanas.    

The health benefits of staring at an aquarium are just one of the reasons that justify the cost of keeping an Arowana. This beautiful exotic fish is such a graceful swimmer that it will make you want to just stare at the tank for hours, as if in a trance. It is a gorgeous fish. The Arowana has large scales that are brilliantly colored, chin barbells that point up, and a style of swimming that's as if the fish is flying; like a dragon.  In most parts of Asia, the Arowana is considered an incarnation of the mythical creature, the dragon; that is why it is also called "dragon fish". This is because the barbels that protrude from the sides of the fish's mouth resemble the whiskers of a dragon as portrayed in ancient drawings. That is why Asian Arowanas are said to bring good luck and good fortune like the legendary beast it's associated with.

The Chinese believed that dragons ward off evil spirits and protect people. This fascination with dragons is what made the Asian Arowana, or Golden Arowana, very popular. Also called Dragon Fish, because of its resemblance to the mythical animal, the Asian Arowana is believed to bring good fortune to whoever its owner is. Businessmen keep Arowanas, especially the Gold Arowana, to help maintain the prosperous growth of their businesses.

Geomancers and Feng Shui experts advise their clients to keep a Blood Red Arowana in their homes or offices to encourage the entry of good luck and prosperity; it is also believed that if you have an Arowana inside the house it may also save your life. It is believed that any misfortune that is originally intended for the people inside the house are said to be taken in by the Arowana; and the fish will also die in place of its master if need be.

There are stories that tell about a man that narrowly survives a grisly accident; he was lucky to have survived with just a couple of scrapes and bruises. But upon returning home he finds that his prized Arowana is on the floor, dead. It was later found out that the fish leapt out of its aquarium and died at almost the same time of the accident.

The Chinese also believe that the Arowana can also serve as a warning device to protect the family. It is thought that the Arowana fish has the ability to differentiate an enemy of the family from well-wishers. When a person enters the home and the fish starts to get startled and thrash about its tank, then it means that the person has bad intentions for the family. But if the fish just stays calm and collected when someone comes then that person has a kind heart and is a friend of the family.

These legends and beliefs that surround this lovely fish are more than enough reason to own an Arowana despite its exorbitant price tag. But if you don't believe in any of these things then just its sheer beauty and grace will be enough for you to want one.


Three main types of arowana fish

Red Arowana

Red Arowana. (Photo credit: tradewale.com)

Red Arowana is the variety that comes from various places in west Kalimantan province, such as from rivers and lakes sentanum Kapuas. Second place is known as the habitat of the super red (chili and blood red).

Full red color is about to appear on young fish fins, the lips and tentacles. before adulthood, the next red color would have appeared in various other body parts, so the fish will show you the overall impression is red.

Basically red arowana are regrouped in 4 varieties,
namely: blood red, chili red, red orange, golden red. the Four varieties are generally given the nickname as "first grade red". Nevertheless, the development of super red refers to Red Chili, and Red Blood. While the last two varieties are more often regarded as a super red with a lower grade.

Golden Arowana

Cross Back Golden Arowana. (Photo credit: photomalaysia.com)

The Golden Arowana is exclusively found in South East Asia, mostly in Malaysia and Indonesia. The Malaysian Golden Arowana, also known as the Malaysian Bonytongue bears a combination of gold and dark green scales though from afar, its whole body appears covered in golden scales. The Red Tail Golden Arowana found in Indonesia bears close resemblance to its cousin from Malaysia. Almost half of its individual scales are gold, while its back, together with its fins are usually dark green. Compared to other types of arowana, Golden Arowanas are considered to have poor breeding habits by nature that is why they are now considered as endangered species. Much care should be taken in buying Golden Arowana fish because there are several laws in place to protect the said species.

Silver Arowana

Silver Arowana. (Photo credit: fantom-xp.com)

This distinct breed of arowana comes from the tributaries and fresh water basins of the Amazon in South America. Mature Silver Arowanas bear an armory of big silver scales with a tinge of light pink and blue on its fins. The Silver Arowana fish has a noticeably flatter body and a bigger head and can grow as long as 48 inches (121.92 cm) in the wild. This type of arowana is considered the cheapest yet they require much care because silver arowanas have a hard time adjusting to frozen food and prefers a diet of small fish, shrimp and crabs.