Asian Arowana
Scleropages Formosus
This is an endangered species and therefore listed in Appendix 1 of CITES.
The word 'arowana' is from the Indonesian word 'arwana' or 'nirwana'; in English it means 'paradise'.
Arowana are the most beautiful fresh water fish. In South East Asia people call Arowana the 'paradise fish'.
This fish can be found in big rivers from several big islands of Indonesia like Kalimantan, Sumatra and Papua.
Also known as the
Dragon Fish
Dragon Fish are found in S.E. Asia where it is popular and expensive. Each has its unique feature and colour, for example, Malaysia has her Gold Dragon Fish and Green Dragon Fish whereas Indonesia has her Red, Red-tail Gold and Green Dragon Fish.
We can classify them according to these 4 species:
Indonesian Red-tail Gold Dragon Fish
Malaysian Gold Dragon Fish or Malayan Bonytongue
Indonesian Red Dragon Fish
Green Dragon Fish
The Dragon Fish from S.E. Asia as compared to the South American Arowanas have rounder and broader bellies. When young, their back portions are horizontal. When fully grown, their backs become slightly arched. The depth of their body - 4 to 5.5 inches. Scales are coarse and big. Pelvic Fin and Anal Fin are of the same length. Caudal Fins have 2 shapes - Pear and Fan; 3 back fins (tail, anal, dorsal) are not joint; Mouth extremely big and slanting, the slit extends beyond the eyes, teeth tiny, closely packed and sharp, mouth is rectangular in shape when open. Eyes are big. A pair of mandibular barbels grow out of the tip of its lower mouth. This fish can grow up to 30 inches weighing 7 kilos in an Aquarium.
Breeding is not easy. Each time, approximately 40 to 70 eggs are laid of diameter about 1.72 cm. This fish is a mouth brooder. When hatched, the baby fishes cluster within the male Dragon Fish's mouth for protection. Normally, it is the male fish's duty to protect the babies in its mouth but when the number gets too big, the female does help.
In the wild, the fish lives near the surface of clean, standing or slow flowing shallow waters in blind arms of inland rivers and lakes in dense jungle. Water temperature of about 27°C, pH of 6.5 to 7.0 and water hardness of H8 are the characteristics of the water it thrives in. It is aggressive in nature and very defensive about its habitat.
Cultural beliefs
Asian arowanas are considered "lucky" by many people, particularly those from Asian cultures.
This reputation derives from the species' resemblance to the Chinese dragon, considered an auspicious symbol.
The large metallic scales and double barbels are features shared by the Chinese dragon, and the large
pectoral fins are said to make the fish resemble "a dragon in full flight."
In addition, positive Feng Shui associations with water and the colours red and gold make these fishes
popular for aquariums. One belief is that while water is a place where chi gathers, it is naturally
a source of yin energy and must contain an "auspicious" fish such as an arowana in order to have balancing yang energy.
Another is that a fish can preserve its owner from death by dying itself.
Conservation
Asian arowanas are listed as endangered by the 2006 International Union for Conservation in Nature (IUCN) Red List.
International trade in these fishes is controlled under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), under which it was placed on Appendix I, the most restrictive category, in 1975.
Scleropages formosus is one of only eight fish species listed on Appendix I. There are a number of registered CITES breeders in Asia and the specimens they produce can be imported into some other nations (including England). Other nations restrict or prohibit possession of Asian arowanas; for example, the United States has listed this species under the Endangered Species Act, and therefore it cannot be possessed in that country without a permit.
Dragon Fish Farm Registration Scheme
The Dragon fish is one of the most sought-after ornamental fish by hobbyists.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has classified the fish as one of the most highly endangered species and listed it under CITES Appendix 1.
For animals or plants listed under this category, their commercial import, export and sale are normally prohibited in all member countries unless the specimens concerned are bred in captivity or can be artificially propagated, or used for non-commercial purposes such as research, teaching, breeding or propagation.
The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority, which is the CITES authority in Singapore, is entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that all Dragon fish exported from Singapore are farm-bred. To ensure good management of Dragon fish stocks for sustained production and to regulate recruitment of new stock, the Authority implemented a Scheme for the registration of Dragon fish farms. The Scheme, known as "Dragon Fish Farm Registration Scheme", registers all Dragon fish farms in Singapore so that proper documentation of the farm production and sales can be maintained and a certain standard of farm
management is practised.
Members of the Scheme will have a breeding programme for the Dragon fish population maintained in the farm.
All the Dragon fish stocks of all generations will be electronically tagged and documented and the farmer will rear the different year classes of Founder stock and their filial generations in separate ponds. In addition, the farms are required to report and register with AVA whenever they produce a new brood of fry from their captive breeding operation.
Harvesting will be carried out using a technique that enable AVA inspecting officers to verify the parental lines of offspring produced, such as collection of fry from the mouth of brooder. A complete record of the numbers and date of collection of the progeny from the Dragon fish brooders and the batch of captive breeding stock from which these progeny are collected from are maintained by the farmers.
