The Asian arowana is in the Scleropages family which is one of the varieties of freshwater fish. According to some sources the varieties of these fish belong to a single species which is Scleropages formosus while others also differentiate it into multiple species. While there are different classifications, Asian arowanas have several other common names such as Asian bonytongue, dragon fish, and a number of names specific to different varieties.
Asian arowanas, origin was from Southeast Asia, where they usually found in blackwater rivers, slow-moving waters flowing through forested swamps and wetlands. The matured arowanas eat other fish, while the younger take insects.
Arowanas have great cultural influence particularly in Chinese culture that make this species a very popular aquarium fish. This species got name as dragon fish from their resemblance to the Chinese dragon. Due to this popularity cause this species categorized as endangered.
According to Wikipedia, Asian arowanas have several distinct recognized by color varieties and each found in a specific geographic region. The varieties are:
1) The green is the most common variety, found in Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia.
2) The silver Asian (not to be confused with the silver arowana, Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) is considered part of the green variety by some. It has two subvarieties, the "grey tail silver" or "Pinoh arowana," and the "yellow tail silver," each found in a different part of the island of Borneo in Indonesia.
3) The red-tailed golden is found in northern Sumatra, Indonesia.
4) The gold cross back, blue Malayan, or Bukit Merah blue is native to the state of Pahang and Bukit Merah area in Perak, Malaysia.
5) The red, super red, blood red, or chili red is known only from the upper part of the Kapuas River in western Borneo, Indonesia.
A study which proposed breaking S. formosus into four separate species was published in 2003. Used both morphology and genetics method, the classification devide the species into four separate species:
1) Scleropages formosus was re described to include the strain known as the green arowana. The gold crossback, which was not part of the study, was included in this species by default.
2) Scleropages macrocephalus described the silver Asian arowana.
3) Scleropages aureus described the red-tailed golden arowana.
4) Scleropages legendrei described the super red arowana.
However, this reclassification dispute by other researchers. The argument was the published data are insufficient to justify recognizing more than one Southeast Asian species of Scleropages.
Be it classification by color or other method, Asian-arowanas still the most wanted fish to be kept at their enthusiast aquarium.
More information on Asian arowana check it at http://Asian-Arowanas.blogspot.com
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