So I’ve got this Malaysian golden crossback arowana, right? Gorgeous fish but man, feeding these monsters used to stress me out big time. Wasn’t sure what grub actually worked best for purebreds like mine. Started just dumping whatever pet store recommended into the tank – pellets, dried shrimp, the works. Big mistake.
The Initial Mess-Up Phase
First month was brutal. Tried feeding beef heart chunks like some forums said. Disaster! Water turned cloudy overnight and my golden boy refused to touch it. Switched to regular feeder goldfish next week but damn, those things carry parasites. My arowana got fin rot and I panicked like crazy. Vet bill cost more than my weekly groceries.
Decided to actually research properly. Spent nights reading aquarium blogs and pestered local breeders at fish markets. Found out three crucial things:
- Live food’s dangerous – carries diseases unless you quarantine properly
- Pellets alone aren’t enough – nutritional gaps show in their colors
- They need variety – just like us needing balanced meals
The Experiment Stage
Cleaned my tank completely fresh start. Bought frozen krill first – thawed cubes in tank water before serving. Golden boy went nuts! Swam circles when he saw the tongs. Added thawed silversides after two weeks. Observed his scales daily – noticed more red hues popping around edges. Felt stoked!
Pellets became backup food only when traveling. Tried floating sticks specifically for arowanas but he’d ignore them unless starving. Wasted like two jars before accepting reality. Now I only buy premium floating pellets with spirulina as supplements.
Current Winning Combo
After three months trial and error, here’s what actually works for my Malaysian crossback:
- Morning: 2-3 thawed krill pieces (vitamin soaked)
- Afternoons: Either small silverside or chopped market shrimp
- Treat days: Live crickets gut-loaded with carrots (once weekly)
- When busy: Special arowana pellets soaked in fish oil
Pro Tips That Saved My Sanity
Biggest game changers? First, freeze anything live for 48 hours before feeding – kills parasites dead. Second, never drop food directly from freezer – always thaw in separate container with tank water. Third, skip feeding one day weekly – cleans their system and makes them hungrier next day. Fourth, rub food against their mouth if they ignore it – triggers hunting instincts.
Now my guy’s colors are insane – that gold practically glows under lights. Growth rate doubled too. Still costs a fortune to feed properly, but way cheaper than vet bills. Hope this helps fellow arowana maniacs!
