Fauna
Fish

Silver Arowana

Osteoglossum bicirrhosum

Also known as Aruana, Water Monkey, Dragon Fish

Silver arowanas cruise just beneath the surface of slow-moving Amazonian rivers and flooded forests, using their upward-facing mouths and twin sensory barbels to stalk falling terrestrial prey. Renowned as surface hunters or water monkeys, they can launch themselves nearly two meters out of the water to snatch beetles, birds, and small bats from overhanging branches. Males practice dedicated mouthbrooding, incubating dozens of large eggs and sheltering hatched fry inside their oral cavity for over a month.

FreshwaterPredatoryAquatic
Silver Arowana reference
(c) User:Qwertzy2, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySmall freshwater fish, Insects, Crustaceans
Predators
  • Giant otter
  • Black caiman
  • Arapaima
ThreatsOverfishing for the commercial food market, overharvest for the aquarium trade, and habitat loss from dams
HabitatsFlooded forests, swamps, and calm river basins throughout the Amazon and Orinoco drainages
Life span10–20 years
Classification
  1. OrderOsteoglossiformes
  2. FamilyOsteoglossidae
  3. GenusOsteoglossum
  4. SpeciesOsteoglossum bicirrhosum
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Aquarium care: Keep aquariums tightly covered with heavy lids because adults readily jump clear of the water.
  • Wild spotting: Scan tranquil river margins at dawn or dusk for pairs of barbels breaking the surface film.
Related species
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…