Arowana Tetra Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Feeding & Breeding

The Arowana Tetra is a small, streamlined characin with a silvery body, a slightly upturned mouth and a distinctive surface-feeding profile. Its shape gives it a superficial resemblance to a young arowana, which is the source of its common name. The body is generally translucent silver, with subtle darker markings and reflective scales that catch the light as the fish moves.

This species is an active, alert swimmer that spends much of its time in the upper levels of the aquarium. It is most impressive in a group, where individuals move together and react quickly to changes around them. Despite its lively nature, it is not normally aggressive toward similarly sized community fish.

In the wild, Arowana Tetras are associated with tropical streams, tributaries and quiet margins of larger waterways. Vegetation, overhanging branches and shaded water create a mixture of cover and open areas where these small predators can search for insects and other tiny prey near the surface.

Gnathocharax steindachneri is not as commonly seen in the hobby as many familiar tetras, making it an appealing choice for aquarists who enjoy less commonplace South American characins. Its surface-oriented behaviour and unusual profile add interest to a peaceful tropical aquarium.

Arowana Tetras are native to tropical South America, particularly tributaries and waterways of the upper Amazon and Orinoco drainage regions. They inhabit warm, soft waters associated with forested river systems.

A group of Arowana Tetras should be kept in an aquarium of at least 60 litres, with a footprint of roughly 60 × 30 cm. Use gentle to moderate filtration with a secure lid, as this active surface fish may jump when startled. Provide open swimming space alongside areas of floating vegetation, tall plants, roots or branches that create shade and shelter. A dark, fine-grained substrate and subdued lighting help their colours show well, while soft, slightly acidic to neutral water reflects their natural habitat.

Up to 5 cm (2 inches) in adult length. Females are usually slightly deeper-bodied than males, although overall size differences are modest.

Arowana Tetras are small carnivorous to insectivorous fish that naturally take aquatic insects, tiny terrestrial insects, crustaceans and other minute invertebrates near the water surface. Offer a varied diet of appropriately sized flakes or micro-pellets supplemented with frozen or live foods such as daphnia, mosquito larvae, cyclops and newly hatched brine shrimp. Floating foods are particularly useful because they encourage natural surface-feeding behaviour.

Arowana Tetras suit peaceful community aquariums containing similarly sized South American fish. Good companions include small Corydoras, peaceful pencilfish, other calm tetras, small rasboras and gentle dwarf cichlids such as Apistogramma. Avoid large or predatory fish, fin-nippers and boisterous tankmates that may intimidate them or treat them as prey. Their tendency to remain near the surface also makes them unsuitable with aggressive surface-dwelling species.

Arowana Tetras are egg-scattering characins that provide no parental care. A separate breeding aquarium with soft, slightly acidic water, subdued lighting and fine-leaved plants or spawning mops can encourage spawning. Condition a group with plentiful small live or frozen foods, then remove the adults after spawning because the eggs may be eaten. The eggs usually hatch within a day or two, and the fry need microscopic first foods before progressing to newly hatched brine shrimp.

Females are generally fuller through the abdomen, particularly when carrying eggs, while males tend to be slimmer and more streamlined. The sexes can otherwise be difficult to distinguish reliably outside breeding condition.