Why Is the Asian Arowana Illegal in the U.S.?

1. Endangered Species Protection (CITES)

   • The Asian Arowana is listed as Endangered under CITES Appendix I (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

   • Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction and prohibits international trade except in extremely limited circumstances (such as scientific research).

2. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) Regulations

   • The U.S. enforces CITES strictly, and under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), it is illegal to import, sell, or possess Asian Arowanas across state lines, even if they were captive-bred.

   • The ESA does not recognize CITES-certified farms for this species as a loophole, so even legally farmed Asian Arowanas from other countries remain banned in the U.S.

3. Lookalikes Are Not Exempt

   • Even color morphs (like Red, Super Red, or Platinum) are still considered Scleropages formosus and are not allowed.

🇺🇸 What About Other Arowanas?

Legal alternatives in the U.S. include:

• Silver Arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum)

• Black Arowana (Osteoglossum ferreirai)

• Jardini Arowana (Scleropages jardinii)

• Leichardti Arowana (Scleropages leichardti)

These species are legal to own and available for purchase here on my website.