Australian Arowana Breeding Guide

Scleropages jardinii is a maternal mouthbrooder; the female holds eggs and yolk-sac larvae for weeks, but home breeding of this large fish is impractical.

Overview

The Australian arowana, or northern saratoga, occurs across the Gulf of Carpentaria drainage, west to the Adelaide River, throughout northern Queensland and in central-southern New Guinea. FishBase records a maximum standard length of up to 100 cm and Wikipedia notes maximum weights of about 17 kg. It inhabits still, clear pools and billabongs and slow-flowing stream sections, where adults are solitary and territorial near the surface.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

Unlike the Asian arowana, this species is a maternal mouthbrooder: Wikipedia and FishBase state that the female, rather than the male, broods the young in her mouth. (The task brief's note of paternal brooding is corrected here in line with both sources.) Spawning is tied to the species' tropical still-water habitats.

Egg & Fry Care

According to FishBase the eggs hatch in 1-2 weeks, and the larvae, with their enlarged yolk sac, are kept in or close to the female's mouth for a further 4-5 weeks. The young begin feeding on microcrustaceans at 2-3 cm and become independent at about 3.5-4.0 cm.