Females produce a small number of eggs each spawning season, so to increase their chance of survival, the male will carry the eggs, larvae and juveniles in its mouth for approximately two months. During this period the male does not eat.
While considered one of the most popular ornamental fish from South America, the arowana’s population has not been evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). As a result, the current status of the population is unknown.