Golden Arowana: Morphology and Breeding Methods

1 Golden Arowana: Form, Selection and Breeding

I. Morphological Characteristics of the Golden Arowana

There are two main types, the crossback golden arowana and the red-tailed golden arowana, and they look very alike, especially as juveniles, making them hard to tell apart. As they grow, the difference becomes clearer. For example, on the crossback the gold, after crossing the fifth row of scales, tends to merge from the back toward both sides. On the red-tailed golden the gold never crosses the fifth row; its last three fins have only a few golden scales at the base, whereas the crossback has many fine, neatly arranged scales at the base of its last three fins.

II. How to Select a Golden Arowana

The top third of the dorsal and caudal fins should be free of black or dark brown; the remaining two-thirds of the caudal fin is orange-red, and the anal and pelvic fins are also orange-red, while the pectoral fins are semi-transparent. The scales should shine; under side fluorescent light they should give off a blue-violet glow. The red-tailed golden’s golden scales usually reach only the fourth row, while the crossback’s reach the fifth. And the crossback’s scales are always brighter than the red-tailed golden’s at any time, so when placed side by side the crossback always looks more brilliant. When turning, the crossback usually reveals a strong base color — blue, green or gold; the red-tailed golden also reveals its base color when turning, but far less deeply.

III. Breeding Methods

Choose broodstock that meet these conditions: strong constitution, no injury or disease, bright and lustrous color, smooth and neat scales, pure lineage, steady swimming posture, and complete, undamaged fins. It is also advised to select one male and one female to ensure enough sperm and a higher fertilization rate. Pick males of 6–8 years and 50–60 cm, and females of 7–9 years and 40–50 cm. When the arowana lays eggs, do not disturb them, or the male will refuse to release sperm and fertilization will fail. During the breeding period, provide a completely quiet environment and avoid changes that could startle the fish into eating all the eggs. Different arowana species breed similarly; the golden arowana breeds the same way as the silver arowana — see the silver arowana breeding guide for details.

This concludes our introduction to the golden arowana’s morphology and breeding methods; we hope it helps you.