A closer look at Arwana

Origin of Arwana
Arwana was first found and introduced by 2 (two) German scientists respectively Muller
and Schlegel in the year 1845. They both named this fish as Osteoglossum formosum. But,
however, in the year 1913, two Dutch zoologists respectively Max Weber and L.F. de Beaufort
modified that name into Scleropages formosus or what is now famous or well-known as dragon
fish.
Then, another kind of dragon fish, i.e. Scleropages leichardti (spotted baramundi) was
found by Germany-born English scientist, Albert Günther in 1864. Twenty eight years later, in
1982 to be exact, a naturalist and an English entomologist, Saville-Kent, found still another
specie of Scleropages jardini. Then, in 1966, Kanazawa, a Japanese scientist found the
Osteoglosum ferreirai (silver black dragon fish) on the Brazilian waters.
Morphologically or physically, the body and head of dragon fish is rather solid while
having a slender, flat and thin built and almost straight back from its mouth to its fins. Lateral or
side-lines are positioned on the right and left of its body with a length of between 20 to 24 cms.
The shape of its mouth protruding upwards and has a pair of feelers on the lower lip. It has a
wide mouth and strong jaw. It has about 15 to 17 teeth. Its gills are equipped with gills cover.
The location of its back fin is close to its beginning tail fin (caudal). Its anal fin is longer than its
back fin (dorsal), reaching almost its belly’s fin (ventral). The length of adult dragon fish varies
to a great extent between 30 to 80 cm.
Its scales are of big size with shinny surfaces. The shape of its scales is cycloid or
curving. Its colours are of great varieties such as silver, black, gold and red. To make it easy,
many people name a dragon fish based on the colour of its scale such as green arowana, black
arowana, silver arowana, golden arowana, and red arowana. Red arowana is divided into three
kinds namely red banjar, golden red, and super red.
The most popular and is believed to bring luck is the super red. The price of super red
arowana is also super expensive. The colouring patter of super red arowana is very special where
its cycloid scales emanate bright yellowish red. The places where the scales end which is known
as ring are found at the head and back and even sometimes spread to all over its body. The red
cycloid scales are believed to bring luck to its owner. The older a fish is, “the lucky cycloid
scales” colour reddens more and more.

Kinds of arowanas and their countries of origin.

Country of origin
South East Asia, Indonesia
(Borneo)
South East Asia, Indonesia
(Pekanbaru, Riau)
South East Asia, Malaysia
South East Asia, Thailand,
Malaysia, Indonesia
Australia, Papua
Australia, Northern,
Queensland, Asia, Indonesa
(Papua)
North America, Amazon
River, Nigeria, Brazil
North America, Brazil, Rio de
Janeiro & South America
North America, Amazon
River, Columbia, Brazil
Africa, The Niles (Egypt),
West Africa
Names in English
Super Red Arowana/ Asian
Bonytongue
Golden red Arowana/ Asian
Bonytongue
Malayan Bonytongue/ Asian
Bonytongue
Green Arowana/ Asian
Bonytongue
Jardini/ Australian
Bonytongue
Dawson River Salmon/
Spotted Bonytongue
Silver Arowana
Black Arowana
Giant Arowana
Nile/ African Arowana
Scientific names
Scleropages Formosus
Scleropages Formosus
Scleropages Formosus
Scleropages Formosus
Scleropages Jardini
Scleropages leichardti
Ostoglossum bicirrhosum
Ostoglossum ferreirai
Arapaima gigas
Heterotis niloticus
 Preparations to keep Arowana

To Select good Arowana

Generally, the characteristics of a good arowana could be observed from its movement, the
shape of its body, head, tail and scales.
1. Movement. A healthy arowana moves very swiftly, always swims crisscrossing the aquarium,
and quick in getting the food being offered. On the other hand, unhealthy arowana moves
rather slowly, likes hitting the aquarium wall with its mouth and has no appetite to eat..
2. Physical characteristics. Healthy and prime quality arowana could be observed from some its
physical characteristics::
- Good body shape where the back goes straight line, no bending, no hunching or humping
and strong body. No part of its body has stains or wounds and has bright colour.
- Good arowana has wide mouth, lower jaw is longer that its upper one. On its chin, there
are two long and interrupted feelers as the broken or already severed feeler cannot grow
again so that it constitutes as disturbing permanent defect.
- A good arowana’s eyes are big and round. They do not come out or protrude upward and
downward(cross-eyed). The most important of all that it is not blind. It has normal gills,
has firm and tight closure, and they do not move towards outside.
- Tail and scales. A good arowana has a wide and round tail just like a fan. Its sides are not
torn or husky due to bites. Also avoid choosing an arowana that has white dotted tail. Its
scales should be carefully piled or arranged, smooth and peeling off or injured. Choose
the one with bright surface and does not produce too much mucus.
Preparing the aquarium, pond and food.
a. Aquarium and its equipment
- For an arowana of about 10 cm in size we need to prepare an aquarium of 70 x 35 x35 cm
with a glass thickness of 5 mm. Get ready a light bulb of 20 watts and water filter Dymen
600.
 - For an arowana of 20 cm in size, prepare an aquarium of 120 x 60 x 60 cm with a glass
thickness of 6 – 8 mm and equip the aquarium with a 60-80 watt bulb and Eheim water
filter 2013/2015.
- For an arowana of 45 cm in length, prepare an aquarium of 150 x 70 x 60 cm in
measurement with a glass thickness of 10 mm. Equip it with 80 – 100 watt bulb and
Eheim 2017 water filter
.
- For a large size arowana. An aquarium of 220 x 85 x 85 with a glass thickness of 12 – 15
mm could be used. Get a 120 watt bulb and Eheim 2034
- Place the light under the aquarium cover. Get also a thermometer, heater, pH paper por
other kind of pH measurement instrument.
- Prepare a pipe to suck out arowana’s faeces. Gravel as foundation to absorb arowana’s
feces is not necessary as arowana’s shit is big in size.
b. Pond and its equipment
- The pond’s bottom and walls should be water tight and strong.
- The pond should be easily filled with water and drained in short time.
- The total width of the pond should be between 50 to 1.000 square meters..
- The shape is preferably rectangle.
- The bottom should be aslant between 20 to 30° towards out-going water.
c. Types of food
Live feeds are arowana’s favourite. As water creature, this dragon-fish is being a predator
and swift hunter. In term of food, arowana is a little bit spoilt. Do not feed arowana only on
one kind of food, namely centipede. Below is a description of various arowana’s foods:
- Centipede
Centipede is the most favourite live feed and it usually found under rocks or at the
rubbish throwing site. The most usual place of centipede is in the palm oil plantation. As
centipede is relatively difficult to obtain, feed dragon-fish with three centipedes every
two weeks.
 - Frogs/toads
The most usual kind of frogs/toads given to arowana is that of paddy frogs whose size are
small or toads which are usually used in the arowana’s cultivation places.
- Lizards
Easily found on the paddy paths, dry land, among rocks, or the grassy places near rivers.
Small lizards or lizards of small sizes, as big as little finger until as big as thumb, are
usually used as baits to catch arowanas. From head to tail, its length is about 35 to 40
cms. Arowanas are fed on lizards only once in a while, totaling about 2 to 3 lizards in a
week.
- Crickets
There are three kinds of crickets that could be used as arowanas’ food namely big cricket,
black cricket and brown crickets. Crickets are considered to be good food because they
are easily found and rich in “kitin” that can brighten arowana’s scales. Compared with
lizards and centipedes, crickets may be kept in a box for a longer period.
- Live fish
The most usual “benih”(small fish) used as food are golden fish, guppy, molly, or sepats.
This kind of food is liable to transfer diseases to arowana as they often carry the seeds of
parasites. Other negative problem is that it may cause arowana to have cross-eyed if they
are constantly fed on these fish seeds.
- Other kinds of food
Other kinds of foods that could be arowana’s feeds are house lizards, flying white ants,
roaches, maggots and locusts. Do not feed on house lizards too often as they will result in
arowana’s eyes becoming cross-eyed.
d. Medication
Kinds of medicines in stocks should be the ones most needed. The followings are the most
needed.
- Blitzich
This medicine is in blue liquid form; should be mixed with water in one drop to one litre
ratio. The function is to prevent and to cure diseases generated by protozoa and fungi
such as white spot and saprolegnia fungi infection.
 This medicine in blue liquid form with a dosage of 1 cc to be mixed with 100 litres of
water while for prevention 1 cc with 150 litres of water. This medicine functions to cure
parasite on the skin as well as an anti-fungi medicine.
- Gold 100
It is in the form of white powder with a dosage of 5 to 10 grams to be dissolved in 500
litres of water. For a preventive use, the dosage shall be 5 grams in 1000 litres of water.
The function is to cure all kinds of diseases caused by fungi.
- Pomate
This medicine is in the form of yellow coloured powder. Dosage of use is 5 grams for
every 500 litres of water. A preventive dosage shall be 5 grams dissolved into 1000 litres
of water. The use is to cure all fungi-generated illnesses.
- Fish salt
This medicine is in the form of powder. Make a salt solution with a ratio of 0,1-0,3
ppm(per-million). Dip the fish into the solution for about 5 to 10 minutes and then the
fish is rinsed and placed in clear fresh water. This solution is often used to cure diseases
caused by Ichtyopthirius multifiliis protozoa, infection caused by fish lice, infection
caused by saprolegnia fungi.
 Ways of keeping arowana

Keeping arowana in an aquarium

Ideally, the measurement of aquarium is adjusted to the fish size. In order to beauty of fish is
seen, install lighting to the aquarium whenever suitable. The control of water temperature is done
daily. Install a thermometer on the aquarium interior wall whose end is dipped into the water.
Use heater and thermostat to regulate and measure the temperature in the aquarium to make it
stable. The optimum water temperature in the aquarium should be around 27-30°C. Water
temperature could be arranged by controlling the size of bulb fitted to the aquarium. It is better
that the light is not too bright as it tends to increase water temperature as well as blind the fish.
Check water quality minimally once a week by using PH meter or lackmus paper. Do not forget
to put back the aquarium cover after feeding the fish as arowana is capable of jumping out of the
aquarium.

Keeping the fish in the pond

In a pond, arowana could live longer and comfortable so that they may mate, lay eggs and hatch
their eggs peacefully. The water in the pond should always be maintained to be around 28-31°C
and PH to be a little acidity around 7. Install a wooden cover above the pond so that the surface
is not directly exposed to the sunlight, the water exchange could be arranged through circulation
using water pump. When rainy season comes, pay close attention that the water does not spill
over. Check the conduit to ensure that it still works well.

Feeding time
The arowana fans always wait for feeding time as during that time arowana will show its beauty
through its speed and movement when catching its prey. Ideally, “food” is given three times a
day namely morning, noon and afternoon or at night. Twice a day of feeding time is still
considered as normal. The colour of its scales will be much brighter, beautiful, shiny when the
food contains carotene and kitin that is found most in centipedes, crickets, prawns, and
cockroaches. Arowana besides fond of live feed, it also likes devouring dead prawns. But,
however, do not feed arowana too much of this kind as it will stain aquarium fast and the
remaining food rotten quickly.

Maintaining water quality

The water in an aquarium may last for three months. Taking care of water quality could be done
through checking it daily by using thermometer, heater, or thermostat in order to arrange and
measure water temperature in the aquarium. The change of water is at least done once a week.
Drain the water from the bottom of the pond or aquarium leaving it about ¼. During water
change session, make sure that no abrupt change in temperature as it may cause the gill cover
protruding outward and it also may cause decrease in appetite. Fish waste should be taken out
every day. Use filters to take the floating waste. The depositing waste in the aquarium bottom
could be sucked out by means of plastic pipe. Do it slowly so as not to stress or shock the
arowana.
If arowana is kept in a pond, use water from ground water source. The use water from a river is
susceptible to poisonous contamination from the surrounding and factory waste. If no ground
water source is not available, water from water mains could be used on condition that anti –
iodine and chlorine are applied to the water. Both the two substances is added after the water has
been deposited and periodically changed. The introduction of a small quantity of iodine and
chlorine will make the fish healthier, tamer and is free from fungi attacks. The content of oxygen
in the water should be well maintained by installing air aerator or water pump that at the same
time functioning to filter water waste. Install also small size PVC pipes that spray water into the
pond so that adequate air circulation in the pond is fulfilled.
 Arowana diseases and how to overcome

Characteristics of sick arowana

1. The fish looks passive, weak and loses its balance when swimming so it tends to float on
the surface and it even remains unmoved when being held.
2. Its appetite decreases, and on fatal stage, it completely loses its appetite.
3. Arowana suffers from suffocating and its reaction slows down.
4. Its body no longer slippery as it has gradually or even completely lost its membrane
resulting that the fish may easily be caught.
5. On certain body parts, there are some bleedings especially on the chest, stomach and the
part where the fin starts. Bleeding indicates a worse level of sickness.
6. The fins are damaged or even fall off. On a serious condition, the fish skin may look like
as if it had been peeled off..
7. The back fins, chest and tail are damaged or broken leaving only its hard bone.
8. Non-functioning damaged gills that results in the arowana experiences breathing
difficulties. The appearing symptoms are the change of gills colour from “fresh” red to
whitish or bluish.
9. Should you slit arowana;s stomach, you will learn that its liver is yellowish and its
intestines are rather brittle.
10. Fish that lacks oxygen, food and little room for manoeuvre will experience slow growth..
11. Diseases that arise from poisonous contamination in the pond are difficult to avoid as it
has rapid effects that it is sometimes too late to identify.

Non-parasite organism diseases

The non-parasite diseases are caused by several factors:
Environmental factors
a. Water acidity degree
The water acidity degree is expressed by numbers 0 – 14 whereby the value below
4,5 is termed as highly aciditive while pH 7,9-8,4 is refered to as base while the
6,6-7,3 is termed as normal. Fluctuation of pH is influenced by respiration factor
 performed by fish, algae and other water plants. The respiration process will
increase the CO2 content in the water. The increase of CO2 will directly
influence the condition of water pH. As the CO2 ions will bind with hydrogen
ions in the water that it forms hydroxide ion of base nature. The water pH thus
increases.
PH The influences on fish
4-5 Deadly level of acidity and no reproduction
4-6,5 Slow growth of fish
6,5-9 Good fro fish growth
>10 Deadly base level
b. Abrupt change of water temperature
A too abrupt change in water temperature will cause obstacles in the growth of
fish embryo and cause the gills cover to open and even make the arowana
stressful. The condition of water temperature should be maintained constant. In a
too high temperature arowana will suffer an insufficient oxygen and the enzymic
system that helps bodily metabolism fail to function properly and under such
condition diseases could quickly attack.
c. Lacking of oxygen in the water
The ideal oxygen content for fish is 5 ppm. Arowana is still capable of staying
alive under 4 ppm but will cause the fish to lose its appetite. In order to ensure
oxygen supply in the water, use therefore air aerator.
d. Poisonous substances in the water
Kinds of poisonous substances in the water that hamper fish health among others
are:
- Carbon-dioxide
- Amoniac
- Water pollution
2. Food factors
A low content of protein in arowana’s food will cause the fish to fall sick easily and have
slow growth. Similar symptoms will also appear when the fish are lacking of vitamins.
 The dosage of food should also be proportional, if too much the fish stomach will bulge
that it may experience troubles defecating while if it has too little the fish will turn out to
be wild and it often bangs itself onto the aquarium walls that it may result in hurting its
own feelers or lips or has permanent defect.
3. Heredity or genetic factors in the form of defects in fish physics such as hunch back,
albino, Siamese twin. These characteristics are inherent since they are born and usually
are hereditary in nature.

Some diseases that are caused by non parasite organisms, among others:
1. Stress
A stressful arowana usually indicates symptoms such as lacking of appetite, seems to be
afraid, slow growth, imperfect shape of body, a vertically swimming position where its
head in an upward position while its legs points downward. Stressful condition in
arowana could be avoided or reduced by a variety of treatments such as the release of
“mummy” into the pond should be carefully done by not directly mixing the newly
caught fish or bought with the existing ones. It is better that a process of acclimation is
done.
2. Oxygen depletion
Depletion or lacking of oxygen usually happens to a pond which contains too high
organic substances. As the oxygen content drastically drops, arowana will experience
stress that may even end in death except in those species where they could directly obtain
oxygen from the air.
3. Cessation of eating
Arowana that ceases to eat usually is tired of certain kind of food such as centipede. To
overcome this problem, restrains the arowana for more than a week. After that, feed the
arowana with a different kind of food. Then, centipede could be fed once a week in
interval with other kinds of food. Other way that may be worth trying is by giving a
capsule of Hobby Fishes diluted into 200 litres of water then pour the water into the
aquarium. This capsule shape vitamin is good eliminating stress, curing various diseases
and stimulating arowana’s yearn for food.
4. Curving of gills cover
Low quality of water may cause the cover of arowana’s gill to curve outwards that the
gills are seen. The other cause is an over-dosage of medicine, bacterial attack, or low
oxygen content in the aquarium.
This thing could be rectified by doing the following steps:
a. Anaesthetic. Arowana is entered into the anaesthetic liquid, i.e. clove oil or MS 222.
b. Cutting of gills cover. Cutting of the protruding sides of gills cover by sharp scissors
at about 1 to 2 cms. Ensure that fish does not bleed during the process.
c. Medication. Apply pomate into a special medical aquarium as much as 5 grams into
400 litres of water.
d. Quarantine. Place the arowana into a special aquarium which is equipped with a
heater for 5 days. After healing is complete, return the arowana back to its original
aquarium.
5. Cross-eyed problem
This problem is caused by the fact that arowana often hunts for small fish at the bottom
or in the corners of aquarium. Therefore, it is better to feed arowana with floating kind of
food..
Cross-eyed problem on arowana could be corrected by moving arowana into a spacious
place which is directly exposed to sunlight. The place could be made of fibreglass or
cement-plastered container. There is still some other healing process with the following
steps:
a. Anaesthetic. Prepare MS 222 solution with a composition of 8 drops MS 222 with a
quarter part of water into a plastic container of 50 x 60 cms. Then, place the cross-
eyed arowana into the anaesthetic solution. Cut off the top cross-eyed part until you
see white coloured meat and then clear part of the fat. This process should not take
more than 10 minutes and avoid the arowana from bleeding.
b. Medication. Apply some salt and pomate combination. Or you can use tetra and
Furason Gold to mix with salt.
 c. Quarantine. Place the arowana into a special aquarium equipped with a heater. This
quarantine time in a pond or container shall be within 3 to 4 months until the arowana
is strong enough.

Sickness due to other parasite organisms

1. Fish lice infection
This type louse belongs to low crustacean class that lives as ectoparasite organism It has
an oval or flat round with crystal colour. It has a kind of “hooking-device” to stick itself
to a fish’s gills, then it slowly sucks up food.
This ectoparasite is well-known as Argulus indicus. Its favourite is sucking up blood that
will result the arowana in a skinny, weak condition that easily attacked by other kinds of
parasites. Usually, this fish louse attaches itself onto a fish scales or fins. If this condition
persists, it will serve as a medium for bacteria or fungi to grow to further cause primary
infection. On the next stage, this infection could also result in the arowana breaking its
fins or smallpox. Should secondary infection arises, then death may take place.
The medical steps that may be done is by lifting up the fish and dry up the pond or
aquarium for a 3 to 7 day period so that the parasites at all stadium that stick to the fish
body could be removed one by one using a pincer. If the fish condition is already poor,
treat it with Kalium Permanganat and Neguvon solution. The most simple way is using
NaCl. For every 100 cc of water mix it with 1 to 2 grams of salt and then stir it
thoroughly. Dip the fish for about 5 to 10 minutes. After that, move it to another container
filled with fresh water. Perform this procedure again after three or four days.
2. Tuberculosis
The symptoms of a fish suffering from tuberculosis are among others that its body grows
rather dark and the stomach is bulging due to damages to the liver, kidneys and spleen.
This disease could be healed by injecting Kanamycin antibiotic 0..2 grams per body
weight into its abdominal part. The fish could also be dipped into Streptomycin solution
of 10 mg/ one litre of water..
3. Smallpox
 The visible symptoms are the whitish patches on the fish skin. Gradually, these patches
grow larger like ringworms but protrusive with a thickness of 2 mm. Fish pox is a
contagious disease, therefore whenever an arowana is found suffering from this disease
move and cure it immediately so that it does not spread to the other fish in the pond. The
usual treatment is by using 1% or arsenic solution mixed with arycil. Injecting this
compound into the fish’s sick stomach with a dosage of 1 ml. Do this action three times
with similar dosage but with 5 % increase of solution.
4. Rotten gills
This disease is caused by 2 kinds of dangerous fungi to fishes, .i.e. Branchiomycosis
sanguinis that attacks the inside part of the fills and Branchiomycosis demigrans that
attacks the outside part of the gills. Conditions that might trigger the growth of the above
fungi are among others the water temperature of above 20°C and the plant rottening
Before it attacks, try as early as possible by spreading lime into the pond as many as 150-
200 kg/hectare. .
5. Saprolegnia and Achlya fungi infections
The two fungi grow in the highly organic area, dirty and seldom replaced water, and
water circulation is not good. If the fish is not immediately medicated, the fungi will go
through the skin entering the muscles, meat and bones.
6. White dots disease
The fish suffering from this disease shall indicate slow movement, lazy, always be on the
surface, secreting a lot of mucus and always rubs its body against the pond walls orother
hard materials in the aquarium. The most effective way to eradicate this disease is by
moving the arowana and drain the pond or aquarium so that the pond or the aquarium is
really dry and clean thus cutting the life cycle of the protozoa.
The usual medical treatment is by dipping the sick arowana into the 0,1-0,3 ppm of
kitchen salt solution for 5 to 10 minutes. Then rinse the fish with fresh water, Other kind
of medicine usually given is 2-4 cc of Methelyne Blue dissolved with 4 litres of water,
then dip the already infected arowana into the solution for 24 hours. This medical
treatment could be repeated up to 5 times with a similar dosage. Other effective way is by
dipping the sick arowana into 0,155 ppm Malachite Green solution. Dipping of the sick
 arowana is done three times with a lapse of 3 days between one dipping and the other.
Apart from the above three medical treatment, a mixture of 150 ppm of formalin with 2
ppm of Malachite Green could also be used. Thinning out the mixture into 5 litres of
water and then submerge the sick fish for 24 hours.
7. Fin Destroying Bacteria
The bacteria that usually attack fish fins are called bacterial fin rot. The fin end is usually
the most suffering part of arowana when being attacked by these bacteria. To cure this
disease, dip the sick arowana into sulphonamide 50 ppm or Nitrofurazone 15 ppm
antibiotic solution at a minimum of four hours.
8. Itches
Arowana which is attacked by this disease usually shows the following symptoms among
others white greyish dots, loss of appetite that make the fish become thin and weak,
increase of mucus production that it looks shiny. To cure this disease, dip the sick
arowana into formalin 25 ppm solution for 5 to 10 miutes. We can also use 30 ppm
acetate acid at a ratio of 1 to 500 for 5 to 10 minutes and this procedure is repeated every
3 or 4 days.
Handling of diseases
1. Water flow
A swift flow of water could drift the food and fish waste so that poisonous compound as a
result of decomposition process of the substances would not form. In this way, oxygen
concentration and water temperature in the pond could be maintained to support the fish
sustainability. Handling of fish diseases through good water flowing also make the pond
clean and it further prevents pathogen bacterial development from multiplying and
feeling uneasy to live in the pond. Thus, fish diseases could be avoided and sick fishes do
not deteriorate.
2. Cleaning of pond
In order to prevent mass death of fish due to poisoning, close the water intake canal to the
pond and immediately move the poisoned fish into the poison-free pond or other
unpolluted water canal. Then, drain the pond for a period of 7 days so that the power of
poisonous compound weakens and finally disappears. If the pond used is relatively small,
 the impact of low power poisonous compound could directly be disposed by washing.
The process is by immediately flowing fresh and unpolluted water into the pond. This
will make the relatively healthy or unpolluted fish become healthier and could be farmed
again. On the other hand, the “washing” of fish from a relatively bigger pond should be
done in a separate pond.
3. Dipping
The dipping of fish into certain chemical compound is usually done to cure fish suffering
from the attack of ectoparasite on the outer part of its body. The washing takes place in a
special container. The prepared chemical compound should match with the parasite
organism that attacks the fish. After the solution is ready, plunge the sick fish into the
container and let it be there for some time. After the dipping is finished, move the fish
into a contained filled with fresh water so as to get rid of the chemical compound residue.
If the fish is still sick, repeat the dipping process until the fish is completely well. During
the dipping, the fish may run the risk of getting poisoned. The poisoned fish is usually
indicated by very slow movement, losing of balances when swimming, breathing
difficulties, and tend to float on the surface. If a fish shows the above tendencies,
immediately move it into the original pond or aquarium. .
4. Injection
Injection is done to cure arowana from diseases resulting from parasites. This way is only
recommended to cure adult arowanas. The injection is better applied on the back part of
the sick arowana for the reason that it could be easily performed and less risky when
compared to injection being applied to the other parts of the body. The kinds of medicine
used are Terramicyne, Chemicitine, or Chloramphenicol. The dosage used depends on the
fish weight to be injected and it is usually indicated by the unit of kilogram. If the
powdered terramicine is used, every kilogram of fish needs 25 mg If liquid teramicine is
to be used, 1 cc is enough. Meanwhile, a general dosage of chemicitine is 20 mg per kg
of fish weight and as for chloramphenicol the general dosage is around 9 to 30 mg per
fish weight. All forms of powdered injective medicine should be liquefied first with 1 cc
of distilled water but for a bigger fish the volume of distilled water could be increased to
2 cc.