There are various types of Arowana fish. Depending on the type of fish, there are differences in their shapes, sizes, and overall appearance. The different types of Arowana fish are the Asian Arowana fish, the silver Arowana, the black Arowana, the red-tailed Arowana, the albino variety, a rare variety, and other varieties of Arowana fish. They have different body sizes and different levels of aggressiveness.
Some of the Arowana fish are more aggressive and territorial compared to other types of Arowana fish. For example, the black and the silver Arowanas are the least aggressive, while the Australian Arowana is the most aggressive. All the Arowana varieties keep jumping out of theaquarium depending on their maturity. When the Arowana fish is more mature, the more aggressive it becomes and thus can jump out of the tank any time the conditions are unsuitable.
Reasons why Arowanas jump out of the tank
Arowanas are usually predators that are skilled mostly in the wild and are known to feed on insects, snakes, and birds. There are various reasons why the Arowana fish can jump out of the tank. The reasons include;
1)Poor conditions of the tank. For instance, if the tank is small in size, the Arowana may jump out since it requires a large swimming area. On the other hand, since Arowanas are monster kinds of fish, they need a very large tank to feel comfortable, or else they will keep jumping out. For instance, if you have a silver Arowana, you require not less than two hundred and twenty gallons.
It would be best if you also considered the water temperatures. Since an Arowana is a tropical fish, it requires warm temperatures, not above eighty-six degrees. The best range of PH is six to seven. If the temperatures are suitable, the Arowana will not keep jumping out.
Filter the water as much as you can. The reason for filtration is that the Arowanas produce a lot of waste, and thus you need to break down all the toxic elements, for example,ammonia. The best filters to use, whether in large tanks or aquariums or not are, sump andcanister filters. Where you need to save space, you can use a trickle filter.
2)Suppose the Arowana is stressed up. The main reason that will bring about stress is unfavorable water conditions. If the tank mates of your Arowana are incompatible, changing the water temperatures drastically and low levels of oxygen may cause stress to your fish. When the Arowana is stressed, it is unable to fight diseases off. The fish will keep jumping out, and this may cause open wounds on the fish.
Some parasites will attach themselves to the open wounded areas increasing stress on the Arowana fish. More stress will be added if the gills are overturned, making the fish jump out of the tank. Ammonia and other toxic materials, together with a lack of oxygen, will overturn the gills.
To solve this, it is advisable to saturate your water using air pumps andair bubble stones.
3)Poor fish diet. If the food is not enough, the fish will jump out. You need to know that the small Arowanas usually have a high metabolism, so they need more food to keep up with their growth rates. You can feed your Arowanas small fish and insects, that is, if they are young. Some Arowanas feed on non-live frozen food, for example, shrimp and shellfish.
When your Arowanas are mature, you should feed them once a day, and once they get full, they will not accept the food.
How to stop the Arowana fish species from jumping
Sometimes, jumping off the tank is natural to the Arowana. To prevent this, you need a sturdy cover in which the fish cannot knock if it leaps. Some people reduce the weight of the covers, but they make sure the reduced weight will not compromise the aquarium’s integrity. It is also possible to use lockable covers. These will keep the fish inside the tank all through and will not allow for jumping space.
Some use metal covers though they are not highly recommendable as they are prone to rust, and the rust can affect the chemistry of the water, making the fish stressed up. If you must use the metal covers, use those with a rust-resistant layer and those that will allow light to pass through. Do not cover the whole aquarium. You should give the Arowana a space to jump and feed them well.
Preventing injuries on a jumping Arowana
Arowanas easily injure themselves when jumping out of the tank. Most injuries are, dropping scales and split fins. These types of injuries take a long time to heal naturally. If the fish is injured but behaves normally, you can leave the injuries to heal by themselves naturally, but if it does not behave normally, you need to treat it. The best way to treat them is by use of anti-fungal medications which treat fungus and bacteria.
üAn Arowana can jump as high as two meters from the surface of the water.
Actions to take when your Arowana jumps out of the tank
The Arowanas have a very slimy body, and thus you should not pick them with your bare hands. Picking them with bare hands is not recommended as they might slide off your hands and fall again, which may lead to more injuries. If your Arowana is a wild one, there are higher chances that it will keep jumping out of the tank since it was used to jumping and catching its prey. Always use a piece of cloth or paper to pick them.
You should hold the Arowanas top body with one hand and the other one beneath the pectoral fins if you have no cloth or paper. After jumping, the fish usually get shocked, and most of them tend to jump again. Avoid going around the aquarium as this can stress them, and also, you can stop feeding them for a few days. This jumping off theArowana tank can at times lead to death, so it should be avoided by all means possible.
Conclusion
It would be best if you always kept the conditions of the water and the tank favorable to avoid stressing the Arowana fish. Stress is the major cause of jumping out of the tank, as per the explanations. When the conditions are suitable for the fish, there will be reduced jumping, and thus the possibilities of injuries or death will be minimized. Therefore, take maximum care of the Arowana to avoid losing it or even stressing it.
If the fish is not too aggressive, you can have a tankmate for it, but once it becomes territorial, you need to change their environments and keep them in different places or divide their portions using nets. In case of injuries and you are unable to give the medications, always contact a professional to avoid poisoning the fish by giving them the wrong dosage. Do not keep patrolling the Arowana’s tank as this may keep them insecure and may lead to stress, making them keep jumping off the tank from time to time.
