Should You Become An Arowana Fish Breeder

There has been an upsurge in the number of Arowana fish breeders.

With the high demand for Asian Arowanas, it seems to the unwary that it is profitable venture to be an Arowana fish breeder.

Southeast Asian countries have been setting up Arowana farms so they can breed more Arowanas and to answer the call of CITES to propagate the Asian breed since it has placed it under the endangered species list.

With the high demand for Asian Arowanas, being an Arowana fish breeder seems to be a likely choice to be a successful business venture.

The trade for Arowana fish pays handsomely well. Before day dreaming of the huge profits you might make , it is better to get your feet on the ground first and think where would you get your venture capital considering starting an Arowana farm demands a high amount of capital.

Is The Risk Worth The Effort

You will need a lot of ponds, with a minimum of 20 to 40 adult Asian Arowanas that cost between 5,000 to 10,000 dollars.  When corresponding with other Arowana fish breeders, they are in consensus that the first year, you would be lucky to breakeven since some of the ponds won’t yield any harvest and you need to be patient to wait for it to be productive.

If you happen to manage to acquire some venture capital, then the first thing you should know is that Arowana fish breeders and farmers keep the adult Arowana in large shoals and mud ponds. Arowana fish breeders need to check the male Arowana from time to time if they are brooding eggs or fry.

If you want to be an Arowana fish breeder, you must take great pains in learning how to handle this majestic fish. You must know how to handle the mouth of the male Arowana fish and praise it open to increase the possibility of the fry dropping out. The male Arowana would be sent back to the pond after the fry is collected from its mouth so it can start mating again.

An exceptional Arowana have the special skill to spot a male arowana brooding eggs and fry. You must have the capability to notice if their buccal cavities are quite apart because this means there are 10 to 20 eggs in each clutch dropping out of their mouths.

It would take weeks for the eggs to hatch, upon hatching a 1-centimeter long fry show up on each egg, and after months pass by, the fish would reach a size of 2-3 centimeters. After a few months, the male Arowana would release them and as a responsible Arowana fish breeder, you need take away the offspring and rear the fry in separate tanks.

Then you have to care and nurture them for a year before you can start earning profits from them.

Arowana Fish Price

Have you ever wonder why Arowana fish prices are so exorbitant?

Arowana pet owners claim that the exorbitant Arowana fish price is worth it considering the majestic beauty and grace that Asian Arowanas possess.

The impressive Golden Arowana is simply breath taking that it leaves its audience in awe.

Golden Arowana Fish

The Red Golden Arowana is simply spectacular by its shade alone, and with its effortless glide, it has been given the distinction of “king of the aquariums.”

Why Are The Arowana Fish So Expensive

Arowana fish price commands a steep amount because of its rarity. When the Asian Arowanas made it to CITES’ endangered species list, the prices become inflated due to strict trade and shipping regulations.

Another factor why the Arowana fish prices are so high is it’s very difficult to breed them. Breeders can only produce 30 to 60 fishes since not all of the Arowanas can produce eggs. The natural environment or habitat to produce Arowanas exist only in few Asian countries hence the demand is greater than supply.

Where Does The Arowana Come From?

The rivers of Borneo are the natural habitat of super red arowanas. A lot of arowana farms have sprung up there and all of them agree that breeding super red arowonas outside of its natural habitat is next to impossible.

The Siak River on the other hand is where the Golden Mahato arowana resides and they have similar golden scales to that of a Cross Back Golden Arowana that are being reproduced in arowana fish farms of Malaysia.

The current record holder for the highest price tag belongs to the Platinum Arowana.

Platinum Arowana Fish

The arowana fish price for this beauty is in the range of $80,000 to $365,000 dollars. That price alone can give you a house and a car. This Arowana is virtually white with no other colors present, not even on the dorsal surface. Aro Dynasty, the owners of this rare breed have turned down offers for the Platinum Arowana and they have currently taken the fish off the market.

One of the leading reasons why the Arowana fish price is at these levels is because of the mythical beliefs that are attached to these fish.

The Chinese believed that the Arowana is a fish of prosperity and luck. Besides prosperity and good fortune, the Arowana can also sense incoming misfortune. The Arowanas would rather die themselves so they can absorb the misfortune that would befall on their owners.

Add them all up, rarity, hard to breed, and mythical powers, and it equals to a very high Arowana fish price.