Silver Arowana Breeding Guide

How the silver arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) reproduces: paternal mouthbrooding for about six weeks, and why home breeding is effectively never achieved.

Overview

Osteoglossum bicirrhosum is a large, ancient predator native to the Amazon, Essequibo and Oyapock basins of South America. It is a paternal mouthbrooder: the male carries the eggs, larvae and early juveniles in his mouth.

Spawning Behavior

After spawning, the male takes the fertilised eggs into his mouth and broods them there. The male continues to shelter the developing larvae and early juveniles in his buccal cavity.

Egg & Fry Care

Paternal oral incubation lasts for nearly six weeks, during which the developing young are protected inside the male's mouth until they are large enough to be released.

Common Challenges

The adult size, the space needed to form pairs and trigger spawning, and the prolonged mouthbrooding mean that reproduction is the domain of commercial farms rather than the home aquarium.