Viagra for My Arowana

About 6 months back, a few family members and I pooled our resources and invested in an Arowana breeding program. The program was run by a very successful Arowana Fish Farm in Bukit Merah. The species that we chose was the Malaysian Golden Crossback Arowana. This species is very high in demand and unique only to Bukit Merah lake area.




Every fish was inserted with a microchip. This process was conducted during our first visit. Firstly, the fish was tranquilised to ensure that its not under any stress. Sure enough, after the injection, the fish was just dozing off upside down, in an almost 'coma tic' state. Then the chip was injected and the scanner was run over the body of the fish to verify that it's in. After about 5 minutes, the fish slowly recovers back to its normal self.

The mating ritual of the Arowana is rather peculiar. The female releases the eggs and the male would release its sperm on the eggs. Once that's done, its the male that collects the eggs into its mouth to brood for the next 55 days. Once the egg yolk sac disappears, then the baby Arowanas are released from its mouth.


Thus, every 55 days or so, owners are requested to present themselves to witness the 'buka mulut' ceremony. First, a net is layed across the width of the pond. Then its pulled across the length of the pond. Then, using long poles, the net was raised up like a curtain. This is because the Arowana is capable of propelling itself out from the water in its attempt to escape.

Then using a scoop, one by one the fish is caught and its mouth inspected for babies.

If there is any developed eggs or babies, it is taken out from the mouth and transferred to an incubator. Here, the babies are kept for approximately 55 days until the yellow egg yolk sac disappears. Only then the babies are considered good enough to be sold.

At the nursery, there's a 'siamese twin' Arowana, attached together at the stomach area. According to the farm owner, he received numerous offers from people wanting to buy it, running into tens of thousands of Ringgit Malaysia. Ironic ain't it. Humans view OKU animals as one that brings them luck, but when it comes to OKU humans, they are considered 'bad luck' and despised. What has the world comes to....

The last time I went there was together with CaTz over the weekend. It was a first for her, and just like my first time witnessing it, she was as wide eyed as I was back then....hahaha.

Lastly, a video I took of how the eggs or babies are incubated.....