Scleropages jardini
The Scleropages jardini naturally inhabits waters in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia. The fish usually stay in quiet backwaters or in slack currents, in areas with clear water in the shade of aquatic vegetation.
The body of Scleropages jardini is long, flattened laterally, with large scales. The mouth is upper and the dorsal line is straight. The lower part of the mouth has a pair of antennae that are very sensitive and serve as a peculiar locator in the fish during hunting. Dorsal plumage is relatively small and shifted to the root of the tail plumage. The caudal fin is rounded. Anal and pelvic fins are elongated. Sexual differences are not expressed. The maximum size in nature reaches 90 cm, although under aquarium conditions, the fish are much smaller.
These fish require large living space, but the interior arrangement of the aquarium is not particularly demanding. An aquarium of 700 liters is required for 1 specimen. Arowana fish predatory, so it is desirable to contain it in a species aquarium or at least with other fish comparable in size, which can, if necessary, to protect themselves. Arowanas pearl Giardini territorial and very aggressive against other arowanas.
Water parameters: temperature 24-29° C, hardness dH 8-15°, pH 6,8-7,5. Care must be taken to ensure that the pH does not exceed 7.5, as this can cause eye problems for the fish. Strong, highly efficient filtration and powerful aeration of the water is required. If these requirements are not adhered to for a long time, the fish may develop eye and gill problems. Also, replace 1/3 of the aquarium water weekly with fresh water. The aquarium should have a tight-fitting lid, because the arowana is a very strong fish and can easily jump out of the aquarium.
Many aquarists feed the arowana jardini with live fish, but there is no real benefit in this, moreover, in this case there is always the risk of infection with various diseases and parasites. Feeding earthworms, live and frozen food, such as bloodworms, shrimps and mussels, is the best way to go. Try to stick to a varied diet, otherwise the fish might become dependent on certain foods. up to 30 cm in size, feed them in small portions 3-4 times a day, and above 30 cm once a day.
Reproduction
In the wild, breeding begins during the rainy season, which falls in October. The female hatches up to 50 eggs, which are incubated in her mouth by the male for 6-7 weeks. Once the fry hatch, they are relentlessly controlled by their parents and swim into their mouths at the slightest danger.
Under aquarium conditions, obtaining offspring from these fish is difficult, but possible. The difficulty lies in the fact that spawning the fish requires a really large aquarium. Because of this, the cost of breeding arowanas in an aquarium environment is significant and for many aquarists difficult to achieve.
The life expectancy of the Scleropages jardini in an aquarium is 40-50 years.
