MEALWORMS - A GREAT TREAT FOR AROWANA FISH
- Team Pro-Meal
- Feb 13, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Dec 30, 2025
Arowana, the legendary dragonfish, is a beautiful freshwater fish that makes many fish lovers crazy. It is commonly believed that the Arowana is a spiritual water creature that can bring good luck to its owner. To understand the complete dietary requirements of this majestic fish, read The Ultimate Arowana Fish Food Guide for Healthy Growth and Vibrant Colour.
The ancient Arowana is a long, sleek, streamlined fish of great beauty with a unique character. Arowanas have a special scale pattern and are found in an array of colors, including silver, gold, and even red. They are a large, hunting species with an aggressive nature. They have the potential to grow rapidly, up to 2 inches per month. Proper nutrition plays a key role in growth and breeding success, as explained in Arowana Fish Feeding Guide: Perfect Diet and Live Food Choices for Healthy Growth.
Being such a special fish, the breeding process of the Arowana is also very special, which is totally different from that of other fish. Arowana is a kind of oviparous fish. They are like other fish; they lay eggs, too. Though they are paternal mouthbrooders. This means that the male fish takes care of the developing eggs, as well as looks after the young fish after they hatch. The male fish incubates the eggs in his mouth for a month before they hatch. The young fish remain in the mouth for a further two to three months, until they are ready to go out into the big, wide world alone.
WHAT IS THE BEST FOOD FOR AROWANA FISH?
Arowanas are carnivores, and a well-balanced diet for an Arowana consists of:
Floating pellets designed for surface-feeding carnivorous fish
Live, Dried fish and insects, krill, worms, and shrimp
Small Arowana (below 6 inches) should be fed three times a day, medium Arowana (6 inches to 14 inches) twice a day, and large Arowana (above 14 inches) once a day or on alternate days. Variety in food is important to avoid nutritional insufficiency. High-fat food like feeder fish should only be used sparingly to avoid drop eye problems. If an Arowana is overfed for a long period, it may lose its hunger and starve itself for a period of a few days. Overfeeding can also compress the lifespan of the Arowana and affect its breeding capacity. A balanced and varied feeding routine is discussed in detail in The Advantages of Feeding Your Arowana Insect-Based Diets.
In the wild, their food consists mainly of insects, fish, prawns, worms, and small amphibians. Live food is preferred for Arowana, though they can be trained to accept other food. Variety in food is a MUST to avoid nutritional deficiency.
MEALWORMS
The mealworm is the larval form of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio Molitor, a species of darkling beetle. Like all holometabolous insects, they go through four life phases: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Larvae generally measure about 2.5 cm or more, and adults are between 1.25 and 1.8 cm in length. If you are new to insect feeding, begin with What Are Mealworms? Are They Safe to Feed to Pets?.
Mealworms are used as pet food for detained reptiles, fish, and birds. They are also used to feed wild birds in bird feeders, especially during the nesting season. Mealworms are valuable for their high protein content.
Mealworms are generally available in bulk and are commonly available in containers with bran or oatmeal for food. Saleable growers include a juvenile hormone into the feeding process to keep the mealworm in the larval phase and achieve an abnormal length of 2 cm or greater.
These mealworms are available in two forms for consumption by pets—
1) Live Mealworms:
Live mealworms are the ideal worms as a part of the diet of your pets, as they have moisture, are appealing, and are easy to feed, among other benefits.
Feeding live mealworms to your pet furnishes excitement and interest at mealtime, making every bite a fun treat.
Live mealworms should be kept in a tub with good ventilation and a comparable surface area. If you see condensation below the top of the container, ventilation must be increased.
Before feeding the live mealworms to your pets, gut-load them a few days before, and when offering them to your pet, dust the mealworms with calcium, vitamin D3, and other multivitamins. Safe handling and feeding techniques are also explained in Arowana Fish Feeding Guide: Perfect Diet and Live Food Choices for Healthy Growth.
Live Mealworm Nutritional Values*
Protein: 20%
Fat: 13%
Fiber: 2%
Moisture: 62%
*Approximate values.
2) Dried Mealworms:
Dried mealworms are nourishing bombs for your pet birds, reptiles, hedgehogs, turtles, fish, and many more. They are protein-rich and rich in amino acids, offering additional benefits. Thinking of counting them towards your pet's diet by combining them with their everyday food will eventually pay off in the long run.
Dried Mealworm Nutritional Values*
Protein: 53%
Fat: 28%
Fiber: 6%
Moisture: 5%
*Approximate values.
For a deeper nutritional breakdown, refer to Nutritional Value of Dried Mealworms: Unlocking the Power of Insect-Based Diets for Your Pets.
ARE MEALWORMS GOOD FOR AROWANA?
Yes, Mealworms are a great treat for your Arowana, as they are healthy and nutritious. Avoid feeding them to baby Arowana, as their hard shell is difficult to digest and may cause a digestive problem and/or intestinal injury. Use worms that have just shed their shells. A darker color means an older shell. So choose a pale-looking mealworm. Soaking the worm before feeding is suggested if the fish accepts dead worms. The Head can be removed to minimize the digestive problem. For larger Arowanas, another similar to mealworms, Superworms can be used. They are equally nutritious but cost a lot more commercially than mealworms.
Incorrect feeding can lead to health problems, which are discussed in Arowana Fish Health: Common Diseases and Their Treatments.
Watch the video of Arowana enjoying mealworms:
To learn more about mealworms, how to feed them to your pets, or where to purchase mealworms, get in touch with Pro-meal. We are the supplier of mealworms, both live and dried, available for purchase. Also, we can answer all your questions about storage, feeding, and nutrition.
To build a long-term, safe feeding routine, revisit The Ultimate Arowana Fish Food Guide for Healthy Growth and Vibrant Colour.
Why Purchase From Pro-Meal?
Fresh and Healthy Worms- Our mealworms, both live and dried, are packaged fresh and at the peak of their nutrition cycle. 100% grown and processed in India.
Organically Grown- We feed our worms strictly Organic Feeds including fruits and vegetables. This ensures that you will get all-natural chemical-free worms for your pets.
Reliable Supply- Imagine you feed your pets mealworms for a week, and next week there's no supply! URGH! Our production ensures a regular, reliable supply.
Pathogen Free- We regularly test all our batches of worms for pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, and bacteria. This Live Delivery ensures 100% safe feeding for your pets!
Note—If you order live, you should get the worms live. We guarantee Live delivery of worms. If you receive otherwise, you are entitled to a replacement/refund.
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