Dragon fish – Formosus

Scientific name :

Scleropages formosus

Common name :

dragon fish

Range :

Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam

Size :

90 cm

Lifespan :

20 years

Diet :

it’s a carnivore and a surface-feeding predator (its mouth points upwards). As a young fish, it eats prawns, tadpoles and other small fish; as an adult, it eats adult fish and frogs. It detects its prey using the barbels at the front of its mouth to “touch” it or to sense vibrations.

Conservation status :

Endangered (EN)

Reproduction :

it is a mouthbrooding species: the female lays her eggs, the male fertilises them and picks them up, using his mouth. The male keeps the eggs in his mouth for 2 months until they hatch; he then continues to take care of his young who are able to take refuge in his mouth until they can fend for themselves. Scleropages’ mating rituals can last up to two months. During this period, the couple will swim against each other and become very territorial. After laying, the female can become very aggressive towards the male.

Characteristics :

in Feng Shui, the scleropages (Asian arowana) is the luckiest fish. This dragon fish is thought to bring luck and wealth in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. To ensure that it’s as auspicious as possible, the aquarium which houses the fish must be perfectly clean, without any aquatic plants. Fish must be kept in odd numbers: 1, 3 or 5. It’s a rather solitary, territorial and aggressive fish.

Location in the Tropical Reserve :

reticulated python pool (large waterfall)