Super Red Chilly Arowana

fish description – Super Red Chili Arowana Care Guide ($Scleropages\ formosus$ ‘Super Red’ Strain)

Category	Detail
Scientific Name	$Scleropages\ formosus$ (‘Super Red’ Strain)
Common Name	Super Red Chili Arowana, Red Arowana, Dragonfish
Origin	Kapuas River system (Kalimantan, Indonesia)
Adult Size	24–35 inches (60–90 cm)
Temperament	Highly Aggressive, Solitary, Territorial Surface Predator
Lifespan	10–20+ years
Care Level	Expert (High maintenance, size, CITES Appendix I listed)

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Appearance and Sexual Differences

 

• Short Description: A spectacular, long-bodied fish with a large, upturned mouth. It is defined by its dramatic deep red to chili-red body color, which intensifies with age, covering the scales and fins. This fish is a revered symbol of luck and wealth.
• Coloration: Intense red body, scale rims, and fins. Color develops over several years and requires specific feeding/lighting (tanning). Sexing is impossible until maturity; the male exhibits paternal mouthbrooding (guards eggs/fry in his mouth).
• Fins: Long, prominent pectoral fins; fins are a strong red color.
• Behavior: Highly intelligent, interactive, and fiercely territorial. They are surface predators and are powerful jumpers, requiring an extremely secure, weighted lid.

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Tank Requirements and Water Parameters

 

• Minimum Tank Size: 250 gallons (950 liters) is the absolute minimum for a single adult. Custom-built tanks of 6–8 feet in length and 2.5 feet wide are highly recommended. A secure, heavy lid is mandatory.
• Schooling: Must be kept solitary or with extremely large, robust, bottom-dwelling tank mates. They are highly intolerant of their own species.
• Temperature: Tropical range: 75°– 86° F (24° – 30° C) (stability is crucial).
• pH Level: Soft, acidic water: 6.0 to 7.0 (ideal $6.4$–$6.8$ for color). Requires massive filtration (sump and/or large canister filters) and large, frequent water changes (25–50% weekly) to manage the heavy bioload and prevent diseases. Specialized red-spectrum lighting is often used to enhance the color.
• Aquascape: Keep sparse to maximize open swimming space. Use heavy, securely anchored driftwood and bogwood. Substrate is optional; a bare bottom or fine sand is easiest for maintenance.

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Diet and Feeding

 

The Super Red Chili Arowana is a carnivore and a surface predator.

• Staple Diet: Should be fed a high-quality, floating carnivore pellet or stick formulated for Arowanas. They will not generally eat sinking food.
• Supplementation: A rich, high-protein diet is essential. Foods high in carotenoids (astaxanthin) are mandatory for red color enhancement: Market Prawns/Shrimp, Krill, and special color-enhancing pellets. Offer live insects (crickets, mealworms) regularly.
• Schedule: Juveniles should be fed 2–3 times daily; adults should be fed once daily or every other day. Feed only what is consumed immediately at the surface.

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Compatibility

 

• Caution: Extremely aggressive and predatory. Will eat any fish it can fit in its large mouth. Susceptible to Droop Eye if constantly looking down for food. Requires caution with all tank mates.
• Good Tank Mates: Only suitable with large, armored, or bottom-dwelling monster fish. Examples include Large Bichirs, Datnoids, large Catfish (e.g., Synodontis, Raphael Catfish), and large L-number Plecos. Tank mates must be able to withstand the Arowana’s size and temperament.