Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about arowanas. Don’t be afraid to subscribe! Thank you to Igris for today’s suggestion! These are freshwater fish who don’t go into saltwater yet are found on three different continents (no, one of those continents is not Antarctica; yes, I’m bringing that back up). So what gives? How does a fish that doesn’t really move around live in some pretty diverse areas? Basically they’re super old. The ancestors of arowanas first came about when the continents all still formed a large land mass, thus, when the land mass eventually broke apart and drifted to what it is today, these fish were separated by oceans, but still had family ties. And that’s not even scratching the surface on the awesomeness of arowanas.

Arowanas are from northern South America, South East Asia, northern Australia, and New Guinea. There is technically a species of fish with the common name African arowana which is indeed found in Africa, but recent classification has declared these individuals to be more closely related to arapaimas. Arowanas are also commonly known as dragonfish and I’m sure if you take one look at them you can guess why. Their unique appearance is a large part in why these fish are so coveted in the aquarium industry.

The different species of arowana have somewhat opposing preferences on where they live. Some prefer slow moving waterways with deep areas they can utilize for cooling down. Others like fast moving, shallow waters. They all, however, prefer areas with overhanging vegetation. There’s one simple explanation for this: food. Even though arowanas can get pretty freakin’ big, as in averaging about two feet (60 centimeters) long big, they still have a unique hunting strategy. Arowanas will actually jump out of the water to catch meals from low lying branches. Anything from arthropods including crustaceans and spiders, small reptiles, and even birds may fall victim to this dragon’s jaws. Also, they don’t really get along with one another and will get pretty aggressive if they meet up outside of mating season. Yet, through all the carnage those jaws can cause, they can still be extremely sensitive, as well.

Imagine putting a bunch of grapes in your mouth. Okay, now you have to keep them in your mouth for about eight weeks and during that time you’re not allowed to eat them or eat anything else. Oh and the grapes aren’t grapes: they’re your children. Arowanas are called mouthbrooders because they incubate their eggs inside their mouth. According to captive observations, a pair will show off to one another for weeks or even months before mating. The female will then release her eggs and the male will fertilize them then scoop them up in his mouth. Then they hold the eggs in their cheeks and keep their young there even after they’ve hatched. It’s a great form of protection! At least, that’s what the arowanas seem to think. And remember they’re pretty old as a species, so they must be doing something right. As individuals, wild arowanas don’t usually live past about seven years of age, though captive kept individuals have lived more than a decade!

Oh, and if you were wondering why we started this episode with “don’t be afraid” we’ll let you in on a little secret. We’ve known about arowanas for quite awhile now because one of our favorite local restaurants keeps a couple in a large aquarium in their shop! Here’s the heart melting sign attached to the tank.

For more facts on arowanas, check out the links in the description! Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!