African arowana
Heterotis niloticus
- Tank length
- 400 cmabout 13 ft (157 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 24–30 °C75–86 °F
- pH
- 5.5–7.8
- Adult size
- 60 cm24 in
- Lifespan
- 10–20 yrs
A filter-feeding giant that easily exceeds 60 cm in captivity; only suitable for huge tanks or public aquaria.A filter-feeding giant that easily exceeds 24 in in captivity; only suitable for huge tanks or public aquaria.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Arapaima
Arapaima may eat African arowanaArapaima may eat African arowana
- Channel catfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Common goldfishNo shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Fancy goldfishNo shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Hogchoker
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Longear sunfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Orange chromide
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Piraiba
Piraiba may eat African arowanaPiraiba may eat African arowana
- Pumpkinseed
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Sailfin cory
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Shovelnose sturgeon
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Warmouth
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 24–30 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 5.5–7.8 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 1–15 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Origin | Nile, Chad, Niger and Senegal basins, Africa | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | advanced | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | active | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | middle | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | semi aggressive | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | omnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 10–20 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 36 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 400 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |