Arowana's long body, seamless swimming ability, and metallic shine make them one of the most appealing big fish to keep in home aquariums. However, maintaining these qualities depends upon appropriate nutrition.

Arowana is primarily carnivorous, which means they eat meat and animal-based foods, with some occasional grazing on plant material. A proper diet is important for the Arowana to build muscle, support its immune system, ease digestion, and keep the water in the aquarium clean. The right Arowana diet will also keep your fish active, beautiful, and healthy for a long time.

This Arowana feeding guide explains what do Arowana fish eat and how to choose the best food for Arowana fish in Indian home aquariums.

How to Feed Arowana Fish Properly?

Here is how you can feed your Arowana properly and keep it healthy, active, and bright in your home aquarium:

1. Choose Floating Food

Arowanas typically feed on the surface of the tank. Floating pellets or sticks are better because they stay on the surface and allow the fish to eat naturally. Micro Pellets are a good starting size for younger Arowanas still adjusting to surface feeding.

Floating food also keeps you informed on the amount of food that your Arowana is consuming. It is easy to tell whether the fish is not taking food, is eating slowly, or is leaving some behind.

2. Feed High-Protein Food

Since Arowanas lean almost entirely on animal-based protein, high-protein fish food supports muscle growth, body structure, energy, and overall development far more than it does for omnivorous species.

Good Arowana fish nutrition should include:

• High protein for growth and strength
• Healthy fats for energy
• Vitamins and minerals for immunity
• Spirulina for health and colour support
• Digestible ingredients to reduce waste

3. Feed According to Age and Size

Young Arowanas grow faster and need more frequent meals. Adult Arowanas grow slowly and need controlled feeding. A proper Arowana feeding schedule helps prevent overfeeding and keeps water cleaner.

Here is a simple feeding guide:

• Young Arowana: Feed 2 to 3 small meals daily. Mini Pellets suit their mouth size at this stage.
• Sub-adult Arowana: Feed 1 to 2 meals daily.
• Adult Arowana: Feed once daily or as per activity level.
• Portion rule: Feed only what the fish can finish quickly.
• After feeding: Remove uneaten food from the tank.

The portion should be small enough to finish quickly. Overfeeding does not make Arowanas healthier. It often causes bloating, fatty buildup, and poor water quality.

4. Keep a Fixed Feeding Schedule

Arowanas adapt well to a routine. This means they can be fed on a regular schedule, which helps them be more active and reduces their stress levels.

If you develop a fixed Arowana feeding schedule, it will also help you recognise any changes in appetite sooner.

5. Use the “Few Minutes” Rule

Feed your Arowana only as much as they can consume in a few minutes. Start with small amounts of food and watch your fish.

Add additional food as long as the fish is actively feeding. Stop feeding if the fish stops eating, spits out food, or does not consume pellets.

Any leftover food must be cleaned out to avoid decay and cloudiness in the water.

6. Avoid Feeding Large Pieces

Although Arowanas have large mouths, do not feed Arowanas oversized food. Giving them oversized pieces can result in choking, excessive spit-up, and digestion problems.

Choose food according to mouth size. Small Pellets work well for sub-adults that have outgrown starter pellets but aren't ready for full-sized food yet. Pellets or sticks should be easy to swallow without repeated chewing or spitting.

7. Add Variety Carefully

Pellets or sticks should be the primary food, as they are nutritionally balanced. You can add occasional snacks for variety, but make sure that they do not substitute for a planned Arowana fish diet.

Safe occasional treats may include:

• Clean frozen shrimp
• Controlled quantities of mealworms
• Crickets from safe sources
• Bloodworms for smaller Arowanas
• Properly cleaned fish or prawn pieces

Avoid wild-caught insects, feeder fish of unknown origin, oily meats, chicken, beef and spicy or cooked human foods. An effective Arowana fish care tip is to use several safe protein sources and rotate between two or three of them instead of using only one. This will prevent the fish from getting fixated on one food and will make it easy to introduce supplements or change brands later down the line if needed. 

8. Avoid Overfeeding for Colour or Growth

Most hobbyists tend to overfeed Arowanas to increase their size or colour rapidly. This may hurt digestion and contaminate the tank.

With good food, clean water, constant temperature, and adequate treatment, the colour and growth of Arowanas can be easily enhanced. Arowana growth food must not coerce rapid growth, but rather support natural growth.

Best Foods for Arowana Fish

The best food for Arowana fish should support growth, digestion, colour, and clean water. Arowanas are large fish, so they require highly nutritious food that does not generate excessive amounts of waste.

These are some suitable options:

1. High-Protein Floating Pellets

The best everyday food for Arowana’s are floating pellets. Medium Pellets are suitable for full-grown Arowanas, allowing them to use their natural surface feeding habits and get the right amount of nutrients for growth, energy, and digestion.

2. Arowana Sticks

Arowana sticks can also be used as they are a free-floating food item that can be easily caught and consumed by larger fish. Arowana sticks work well for fully grown Arowanas needing to be fed daily.

3. Colour-Enhancing Fish Food

Colour-enhancing fish food is designed to improve the colour, sheen, and brightness of the scales while providing a continuous level of nutrition for your Arowana. Foods that contain spirulina are great to use since they can help retain the health and colour of your fish.

4. Frozen Shrimp or Prawns

Occasional feeding of clean, fresh frozen shrimp or prawns provides dietary variation and protein but should not replace daily feeding with pellets.

5. Mealworms and Crickets

Crickets and mealworms can encourage natural feeding activity in Arowanas. Feed in limited amounts using a safe source.

6. Bloodworms for Small Arowanas

Bloodworms are suitable for small or juvenile Arowanas but should not be used as the primary source of food.

Conclusion

Arowanas need a protein-rich, balanced, and clean feeding routine to stay healthy in Indian home aquariums. The Arowana fish diet must be appropriate to achieve growth, colour, digestion, and water clarity.

For hobbyists looking for a dependable everyday feed to build that routine around, Rainbow is worth considering, formulated to support healthy growth, colour, easy digestion, and cleaner water. With the right food and feeding schedule, your Arowana can stay active, bright, and beautiful for years.

FAQs

Do Arowana fish need live food to stay healthy?

No. Arowana fish do not require live food for it’s healthy. They can receive all the nutrition needed through balanced pellet or stick food. Live food can be used occasionally, but it must be safe and clean.

Why has my Arowana fish stopped eating?

An Arowana may stop eating because of stress, poor water quality, sudden diet changes, diseases, and over-feeding. First, check water conditions, then review the feeding routine.

Does diet affect an Arowana's colour development?

Yes, food can affect colour development. Natural shine, scale health, and improved colour expression can be maintained with high-quality food containing colour-supporting ingredients, such as Spirulina.

What causes drop eye in Arowana fish?

Genetics, tank conditions, fat deposits, and frequent downward feeding usually causes drop eye in Arowana. Feeding floating food and maintaining good tank conditions may reduce the chances of obtaining drop-eye.

Why is my Arowana fish spitting out food?

Arowana may spit out food when the pellet is too large, too hard, unknown, stale, or due to stress and poor water quality.