With such a huge array of fascinating species found through South America, there’s a chance you’d never even encounter the Silver Arowana if you didn’t look closely enough. However, this species is not one to be overlooked.
Let’s take a look at the key features of the Silver Arowana – sometimes known as the water monkey, which you’ll learn more about later.
Type
Fish
What do they eat?
Fish, insects, and crustaceans
Size
Up to 0.9 m (3.0 ft)
Water Type
Freshwater
Where are we?
Amazon, Essequibo and Oyapock basins
See Us At
Flood ForestWhat is the silver arowana?
The silver arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) is a freshwater fish, recognised for their pearly-silver colouring as adults. However, this can change as the fish ages, ranging from colours such as red, blue and green. They can grow up to around 1 metre in length.
Silver arowanas are part of the Osteoglossidae family, which is a large group of fish known more commonly as bony tongues, because they have teeth on their tongue! They were first thought to have emerged as a species before the continents broke up, originally found on the supercontinent Gondwana which broke up around 180 million years ago.
Where does the silver arowana live?
Arowanas are native to the Amazon River Basin, living in the floodplains of the Amazon. They are most abundant in flooded areas, found in whitewater and blackwater areas. Whitewater refers to fast, shallow stretches of water within a river, such as rapids, while blackwater is a slow-moving channel of water that typically flows through swamps or wetlands.
You might also find silver arowana in the Rupununi and Essequibo systems of the Guianas in the north-east of South America.
Fascinating behaviour and facts of the silver arowana
There are a number of interesting characteristics about the silver arowana, making them a fascinating species to discover.
During the reproduction process, it’s the male fish who look after the eggs. In fact, the male will carry the eggs in his mouth for around 6 weeks until they hatch! This is to protect them from any would-be predators or threats.
Silver arowana have excellent sight to help them locate prey, but they have other interesting methods too. Arowana have barbels at the tip of their lower jaw to sense prey on the water’s surface, but they have also been known to jump out of the water to catch their prey when necessary! They typically eat fish close to the surface of the water, as well as insects and crustaceans.
In Chinese culture, the arowana is revered as a symbol of luck and prosperity, due to its resemblance to the Chinese dragon.
See the silver arowana at Blue Planet Aquarium
Here at Blue Planet Aquarium our exhibits are home to a vast array of species from around the world, including the silver arowana. Our Flooded Forest exhibit transports you to the rivers of the Amazon, where you can uncover some fascinating species and see them up close for yourself.
As well as the silver arowana, you’ll find species like stingrays, catfish and pacu. Book your tickets to the aquarium today for a fun-filled day of exploration and discovery!