Southern Saratoga

About

The Southern Saratoga (Scleropages leichardti) is one of Australia's most distinctive large freshwater fish, native to the Fitzroy River system in central-eastern Queensland and a handful of other southeastern Queensland waterways. In the wild it patrols slow-moving or still water close to the surface, lurking near shoreline vegetation where it ambushes insects, frogs, small fish, and crayfish. Both aquatic and terrestrial prey are fair game. It's a mouthbrooder, and unusually among arowanas, it's the female who carries and tends the brood, with fry eventually venturing further from her as they grow more capable of looking after themselves. In the aquarium, this species is best recognised by its silver base colour, relatively small scales arranged in a higher lateral count than Asian arowanas, and the distinctive spots on each scale. The forward-angled barbels and plain gill covers help separate it from its Australian cousin S. jardinii. Temperament-wise, expect genuine aggression. Adults in the wild routinely bear scars from territorial disputes, and captive fish are no different. Most keepers should house this fish alone, as it frequently refuses to tolerate any tankmates at all. Some larger species like big catfish or robust cichlids can occasionally work, but there are no guarantees. This species is fairly uncommon in the hobby, partly due to its limited natural range, and tends to carry a significant price tag when it does turn up for sale.