# what kind of arowana is this?



## Novato (Jan 25, 2004)

please let me know what kind of arowana is this.

http://community.webshots.com/album/118346344QPNwuD


----------



## LaZy (Jun 17, 2003)

probaly silver but might be gold


----------



## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Silver (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) or Black ( O. ferreirai)

Pics are way to blurry to tell for sure


----------



## arowspace (Jul 16, 2003)

Those photographs are NOT "way too blurry to tell for sure".

That fish is clearly and obviously a juvenile Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (silver). In no way, shape or form could that fish possibly be mistaken for O. ferreirai (black) at any stage of development.


----------



## Novato (Jan 25, 2004)

Thank you arowspace! for confirming that. thanks to everybody too.


----------



## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

Definately a Silver. As Arowspace said, there's no way you could mistake that for a Black:


----------



## 14_blast (Oct 6, 2003)

I concur with dracofish :nod:


----------



## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

arowspace said:


> Those photographs are NOT "way too blurry to tell for sure".
> 
> That fish is clearly and obviously a juvenile Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (silver). In no way, shape or form could that fish possibly be mistaken for O. ferreirai (black) at any stage of development.


I'm sorry but how exactly from that pic and the related text, can you discribe that fish 100% as a Silver? and in no way a Black?

that very easily could be a black the only thing that is obvious is it is an Osteoglssum species.

I'm not finding it really easy to count Lateral scales or fin rays their,
and unless you have X-ray vision I do not think your seeing the Vertebrae

This fishes size is well over where coloration is a factor in identification.


----------



## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

Um, you can easily tell that it's not a black because of the fin coloration and pattern. Not to mention the fact that Blacks have blue/gray based scales.


----------



## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

In your picture yes Draco you can, but in the blury pic of a stressed out fish in a bag, no you can't. That is Poly's point, he can not 100% positively say it isn't a black, due to the photo. :smile:


----------



## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

The most stressed out Black on Earth would not have green-based scales and pinkish fins without the orange border...


----------



## arowspace (Jul 16, 2003)

Polypterus said:


> arowspace said:
> 
> 
> > Those photographs are NOT "way too blurry to tell for sure".
> ...


Even after Osteoglossum ferreirai has matured beyond the baby stage and has lost the obvious black and yellow phase, coloration remains a painfully obvious factor in identification. This species is very easily differentiated from O. bicirrhosum simply by observing the general coloration of the scales and finnage. At any phase of metamophosis during the juvenile and adult stages, the two species are easily discernible from one another without having to resort to counting lateral scales or fin rays. Nor is it necessary to call into duty any "x-ray ocular capability" to analyze vertebrae. The two species are not _that_ close in appearance.

However, let us ignore these obvious differentiating characteristics for the moment. Furthermore, for the sake of argument let us assume that the fish in the photograph is so unbelievably stressed that it has lost every iota of pigmentation within its scales and finnage (a very unrealistic proposition, by the way, since even DEAD black arowana will not fade to such an extreme degree. I have frozen specimens in my freezer to prove it. LOL. ). The one distinguishing characteristic plainly evident in the supposedly "blurry" photo that reveals the fish to be 100% a juvenile silver is the appearance of the red and green humeral patch to the posterior of the operculum. Osteoglossum ferreirai does not possess this particular trait at any phase during its metamorphosis. Consequently, I will re-iterate that in no way could the fish in those photos possibly be mistaken for O. ferreirai at any stage of development.

If you are still not convinced, then I will simply resort to a bit of pomposity and paraphrase a statement by Polypterus from another thread:



Polypterus said:


> The pics given are just good enough to tell me it's not an annectens, no way would an annectens have these traits...
> 
> I have been around lungfish for so long that really it is just second nature for me to point and identify the animal to at least species group...


In my case: the pics given are just good enough to tell me it's not a _ferreirai_, no way would a _ferreirai_ have these traits...
I have been around _arowana_ for so long that really it is just second nature for me to point and identify the animal to at least species group...

:







: No offense, but I just could not resist.


----------



## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

I definately am never offended by someone defending a position. Especially one that they are able to explain soundly with obvious time spent within the subject matter.


----------



## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

arowspace said:


> Polypterus said:
> 
> 
> > arowspace said:
> ...


 I am in no way offended myself, Very good info

(would have liked to have seen
your rational earlier though, as I missed the red spot looking over the pic.)

Myself I tend to be very suspicious of coloration as an Identifying factor
Their is way too much variation within a species, If I do not know, I'm not
going to say so based on coloration alone,


----------



## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

arrowspace that post is truly awesome


----------



## Novato (Jan 25, 2004)

cool! thanks for all the answers. I have learned alot.


----------



## arowspace (Jul 16, 2003)

Polypterus said:


> Myself I tend to be very suspicious of coloration as an Identifying factor
> Their is way too much variation within a species, If I do not know, I'm not
> going to say so based on coloration alone,


As a general rule, I would certainly agree with you. For many species of animals, coloration alone is definitely not a fool-proof identification factor. However, in the case of the two recognized species of the genus Osteoglossum, there exists very limited morphological diversity within species. Therefore, I feel that in this particular case, coloration alone can be a reliable means of differentiating the two species.


----------



## IDONTKARE47 (Jan 5, 2004)

Novato said:


> cool! thanks for all the answers. I have learned alot.










me too


----------



## slckr69 (Feb 21, 2004)

i just learned fighting solves things and even the person in the wrong still knows a lot more about fish than i do


----------



## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

piranha45 said:


> arrowspace that post is truly awesome


 No, its just RIGHT information... Arowspace is a Knowledgable Motha Fka! and HE KNOWS IT!!!!!!!!

LOLOL.....

nothing worse then some Smart guy who knows hes smart..

Even with out the Red mark behind the gill plate.. Black arowana Dont have that INtense green coloration shown in that pic.


----------



## RARE AFISHINADO (Apr 15, 2003)

its about time some of the peeps at pfury got schooled lol good job ed









if u cant tell thats a silver at first glance u shouldnt be posting in this thread........................

put the woman and children to bed this thread is for the big boys


----------



## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

RARE AFISHINADO said:


> its about time some of the peeps at pfury got schooled


----------



## RARE AFISHINADO (Apr 15, 2003)

that was a joke, as was the rest of my post


----------



## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

RARE AFISHINADO said:


> that was a joke, as was the rest of my post


 pleased to hear it


----------



## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

you got told poly :rasp:

j/k

very good info from both of you, learned tons more than i knew


----------



## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

Lu's telling someone about how they got bitched..


----------



## Novato (Jan 25, 2004)

crazyklown89 said:


> Lu's telling someone about how they got bitched..


----------



## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

RARE AFISHINADO said:


> its about time some of the peeps at pfury got schooled lol good job ed
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 LLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLL

nice one rare.. Big Boys...

sh*t.. LOL


----------



## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

U'mm if you truly read the post I was asking How that was a difinitive anwser,

Aro nailed it and gave some damn good info that will be usefull now for years
to come, we all continue to learn, thats the nature of this hobby.

Yeah that post specificly does take a swipe at me, I don't care as the information contained is a hell of alot more important and well done, Thats fine with me.

I could care less as long as valuable information is passed on.


----------



## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

nice "who is the smartest arowana person" contest guys, now try acting mature


----------



## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

RARE AFISHINADO said:


> its about time some of the peeps at pfury got schooled lol good job ed


 hmmmmm


----------



## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

Innes said:


> nice "who is the smartest arowana person" contest guys, now try acting mature


 I agree...

Polypterus:


> I could care less as long as valuable information is passed on.


----------



## Novato (Jan 25, 2004)

Well! the good thing is that I learned that I have a Silver Arowana and that I know how to classify it . Thanks for all the good information I received. Whitout The Xtra comments would have made it better, but I guess it is all part of the forums. It always happens. Thanks to everybody that takes care of the forum and its members.







Team P Fury


----------



## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

Novato said:


> Well! the good thing is that I learned that I have a Silver Arowana and that I know how to classify it . Thanks for all the good information I received. The Xtra comments would have made it better, but I guess it is all part of the forums. It always happens. Thanks to everybody that takes care of the forum and its members.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Yep and soon enough your going to know how to run a semi large, over 500 gallon, tank!!!!!


----------



## Novato (Jan 25, 2004)

Peacock said:


> Novato said:
> 
> 
> > Well! the good thing is that I learned that I have a Silver Arowana and that I know how to classify it . Thanks for all the good information I received. The Xtra comments would have made it better, but I guess it is all part of the forums. It always happens. Thanks to everybody that takes care of the forum and its members.:laugh: Team P Fury
> ...


 A big indoor pond instead!


----------

