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Image of Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (Silver Arowana). They are native to the Amazon River system, and are know to have grown as long as 1 meter long in captivity and 1.2 meter in the wild. When kept in an aquarium, it shou

Silver arowana

Large South American freshwater predator with bone tongue.

Photo: User:Qwertzy2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The silver arowana is a large bony fish native to South American river basins. It lives near the surface and jumps to catch prey. Aquarists keep it as a pet, while local communities fish it for food. Conservation efforts vary between Brazil and Colombia due to differing uses.

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  • Can jump out of water to catch prey
  • Grows up to 1.2 metres in length
  • Native to Amazon and Essequibo basins
  • Called water monkey due to jumping ability
  • Not listed on CITES appendices

What it is

This bony fish belongs to the family Osteoglossidae. Its scientific name means bone-tongued and two barbels. The body is long with large scales and a tapered tail. Dorsal and anal fins run almost the entire length, nearly fusing with the small caudal fin. Adults reach about ninety centimetres, though some grow to one point two metres. Unlike its black relative, this species keeps the same colour throughout life. Shiny armour-like plates and double barbels remind aquarists of dragons.

Where it lives

Native to South America, it inhabits the Amazon, Essequibo and Oyapock basins. It does not live in the Rio Negro basin, except for the Branco River where both silver and black types occur. The fish thrives in blackwater and whitewater environments. Flooded forests provide suitable habitat within these river systems.

How it lives

Known as the water monkey, it leaps from the surface to seize prey. It waits near the top of the water column for food. The mouth opens like a drawbridge to capture items floating above. Diet includes snails, crabs, beetles, spiders and small fish. Stomach contents have also revealed birds, bats, mice and snakes.

Silver arowana
A drawing made by EveryFish from what this page says. It is a diagram, not a picture of the real fish.

Fish and people

Experienced hobbyists keep it in very large tanks as an alternative to the restricted Asian arowana. In the Amazon, people catch adults for food. Juveniles are caught in Colombia for the aquarium trade. A dispute arose between Brazilian and Colombian authorities over shared populations. Brazil banned fishing from September to November, while Colombia prohibited capture from November to March.

Status and threats

Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and not on CITES appendices. Despite this, its popularity as an ornamental fish warrants attention. Threats include drought, deforestation, siltation and land drainage. Conservation measures differ across borders, with seasonal bans in place to protect stocks during critical periods.

Arawana, Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (Cuvier, 1829), Natural History Museum University of Pisa
Arawana, Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (Cuvier, 1829), Natural History Museum University of Pisa. Photo: Mattia Nocciola, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Questions people ask about Silver arowana

How big does a silver arowana get?

They typically reach ninety centimetres in length. Some individuals have been reported to grow up to one point two metres. This large size requires substantial tank space for aquarium keeping.

What do silver arowanas eat?

They are surface predators that eat snails, crustaceans, insects, spiders and smaller fish. They also consume animals that float or fall into the water, including birds, bats, mice and snakes.

Is the silver arowana endangered?

No, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is not included in CITES appendices. However, threats like deforestation and drought affect its population, leading to seasonal fishing bans in some regions.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Silver arowana", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.

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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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