Hello?! Aro! AROWANA to you

Arowana – A Layman’s Guide
By Willie Si and Winston Sng
Published by Times Editions – Marshall Cavendish

ABOUT a decade ago, before the Flowerhorn Fish grabbed centre stage, there was the Arowana. At the height of its popularity, no businessman worth his millions would be seen without at least one golden or red, adult-sized Arowana swimming in an impressive aquarium inside his bungalow.
That was then. These days, even the fame of the Flowerhorn has taken a dip. But Arowana or Dragon Fish as it is popularly known has continued to be the exclusive property of those who claimed they know their fish.
The Dragon Fish has other names. Namely, the Arawana, arrowana or the aruana. The fish is native to the rivers of Southeast Asia, Australia, Africa and South America.
Fossil evidence reveals that the Arowana is a creature that has its origins embedded in prehistoric times. The Asian Arowana is the most expensive because it is believed to be near extinct.
The life span of an Arowana is about 60 years so unlike other pets, it can live as long as you can, perhaps even longer. If it is well looked after, it is believed that the fish will bring its owner an endless stream of wealth and good fortune.
Thus, Arowana had been and still is an extremely popular fish. There are several varieties of Arowana – green silver, black, red and golden.
Willie Si and his nephew Winston Sng have written this book for Arowana lovers. Willie’s association with the Arowana began in the mid 1980’s when his brother Sammi complained about the difficulties of rearing the Arowana.
Being a mechanic at that time, Willie took upon himself the challenge of learning more about this fish. So what began as a mission to learn more about the Arowana quickly developed into a passion and eventually became a professon for Willie.
In 1991, The Straits Times of Singapore and The New Paper found out about Willie the “fish doctor” and published two articles about him. It was then rumoured that a book about Arowanas was also in the pipeline and would be published in due course. What began as a dream is now a reality.
This book is the culmination of years of experimentation and invaluable experience culled from rearing the Arowana.
This layman’s guide should be read by all those who have developed a deep interest in the Arowana. It has beautiful colour pictures. Valuable tips, information and advice on looking after the Arowana abound from cover to cover.
Arowana is not the kind of fish to keep if you have just some spare change. Like everything else of value, it requires a healthy budget. Today the price of a potentially beautiful infant Arowana can exceed RM150.
When fully grown, a beautiful Arowana can be priced tagged above RM10,000. It is a buyer-seller situation. If the buyer feels a particular Arowana will bring prosperity, a five-digit figure cheque can change hands.
The book informs all Arowana owners or collectors that the vital points to remember about this fish is to keep it healthy at all times. That means, making sure the water is of the right temperature, the optimum pH level of the water in the aquarium should be between 6.8 and 7.2.
Lighting in the aquarium must be strategically placed, to bring out the magnificent colours of the fish. Feeding of the Arowana must follow a strict schedule.
Salt content of the aquarium water should also be monitored closely. The filtration system must be the right type, otherwise the fish may become prone to fungus attack because of waste residue in the water.
The rumours that surround the beautiful Arowana only add to its mystique and popularity. Hobbyists are of the opinion that a healthy and beautiful Arowana can turn an ordinary life into a extraordinarily happy and prosperous one.
Hence, it is imperative that Arowana collectors should not be lackadaisical about the health of his aquatic “lucky charm”.
This guide book has vivid pictures of sick Arowanas. It displays pictorial evidence of illness like off-coloured scales and gills and advice on how to overcome these problems.
Rearing an Arowana is not unlike looking after a pedigree dog. Both need loving care and attention. In the case of the Arowana, it may mean a monthly expenditure that can painfully stretch your wallet.
However, look on the brighter side. A healthy Arowana could lead to happiness, peace and prosperity for you and your family. A bellied-up Arowana may spell bad fortune, illness and just plain bad luck to a superstitious collector.
This book is a source of valuable information to those who want to learn more about the dragon fish. It does not claim to have the last word on this much sought-after aquarium fish but it does have lots of good advice on how to make the hobby of rearing the Arowana a wonderful pastime.
These days, rearing fish is no longer a simple affair like in the old days when neighbourhood boys just scooped some ordinary fish from the monsoon drain and put them in jam jars. Back then, swordtails and fighting fish were the rage.
Those species are passé now. The Age of the Arowana has not yet been eclipsed. Hardcore hobbyists find rearing the Arowana an enriching experience so money and time are of secondary importance.
If you have one golden Arowana swimming merrily in an aquarium, reflecting sun rays off its shiny scales, in the hallway of your home, then reading this book will definitely be a positive experience.
There's a hardcore group of fish rearers who swear by the colourful fins of the Arowana's fins that this is THE fish for them. I guess the Arowana has a special aquatic ability to grow on its owner!