China Travel Forum

[l.Zhang]

The Asian Arowana (Scleropages Formosus) or better known as the `Dragon Fish', has been regarded as one of the Kings in Aquatic World.

With its close resemblance to the Chinese Ancient Dragon, many Chinese all over the world believed that `Dragon Fish' symbolizes luck, wealth, prosperity and strength.

Thus, making it one of the best fish to keep for good fengshui. It is said that water is where Chi gathers and Sheng Chin in an aquarium, is said to be beneficial.

However, to ensure that the water has Yang energy, auspicious fish are necessary. This is where the `Dragon Fish' comes in demand, being widely accepted as the symbol of wealth.

Due to its popularity and great demand, Asian Arowanas have been fiercely hunted at its native habitat for profits, thus the population of these fish in the wild has declined.

This is especially so for Malaysian Golden Arowanas and Red Arowanas, which have reached a stage of near extinction since 1980s.

Fortunately, arowanas come under protection by the listing of the Convention on the International Trade in endangered species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and are classified as an endangered species, threatened with extinction in CITES appendix I.

Since then, any illegal trading and hunting of such fishes from the wild are accompanied with heavy penalties.

Even now, the trading of Asian Arowanas is still banned in certain countries like the United States and Taiwan.