if your arowana have Damaged Operculum Membrane, you can do little operation.Prepare Equipment
Prior to any operations to be carried on on your precious arowana, ensure that there are enough transmore in your transmore bottle to knock out your arowana. You will than need to prepare a tank half filled, and a big pail of water.Ensure that the scissors you are about to use is sharp enough for the GIll Curl operation and the finest sandpaper available in the market. Remember to wet the sandpaper before use.
Equipment needed
1. Sharp scissors.
2. Fine sandpaper.
3. Wet towel.
4. Clean aged water.
5. airstone & air pump.
6. Transmore (enough & not expired).
7. Bag to tranquilize aro.
Transmore
Prior to the operation, remember to starve the arowana for a couple of days. Pour the required amount of transmore as prescribe on the bottle into the tank with aged water. Next, proceed to bag your arowana into a plastic bag and drip a few drops of transmore into the plastic bag. When the effect of the tranquillizing sets in, the arowana will be calmer. The arowana is now released into the tank with transmore.If you are operating on a smaller arowana, it might be easier to bag it first and knock it out when it is in the bag (experience required). Less transmore needed.
Knockout
Belly-up & when the arowana is completely motionless without any resistance, you are now ready to proceed with the Operculum Surgery.Inspect the part to be operated on.
Aro should not be out of water for more than 10mins for the whole process (max time for the operation).
Operation table
Place a wet towel over the work area you are going to work on and another moist towel near you in the event your arowana slip from the work area, you are able to grab the slippery arowana with the moist towel and place it immediately back into the tank. Always be prepared.Remember to always wet the tower as a dry towel will soak-up/remove the wetness/slime of the fish, causing damage to the protective layer.
The Right Angle
Inspect carefully the area closely that you are about to operate on. It is not advisable to keep the fish out of the water for too long. Start the operation as soon as the fish is placed on the operation table. Many of us tend to pause and admire at the beauty of it's sheen and coloration at this stage.Place the arowana in a position you are most comfortable with. If the arowana is still trashing about when placed on the work area, quickly place it back into the tank and add more transmore.
Sterilise the scissor over a flame and after a several seconds, gently lift the operculum and proceed to trim the targeted area.
Cutting
Always cut in a relax manner and if your scissor is sharp enough, you are able to just slice all the way to the end of the gill for a good cut. If your scissor is a little blunt, you may have jaggedness in the cut. The best scissors for this kind of job are usually hair scissors but they cost a whole lot more than ordinary scissors.A sharp pair of scissors with short thin blade is good for this job....
Lower blade of scissors should always be nearest to aro to provide clean cut & support.
Shaving
After cutting, you may need to place the arowana back into the tank with the transmore for a while before proceeding further. When you are ready to shave, use the scissors to shave to even up and tidy up the operation. This should not take more than a minute.Sandpaper
Final touch...... Smoothen the edges by sanding in one direction to achieve better result (outward motion). This procedure will provide a natural look when the operculum membrane grows.Finish
As you can see from the picture on the left, the damaged operculum membrane is completely removed.Revival
Slowly release the arowana into a tank with clean aged water and steady the arowana. Providing air will help speed up recuperating period. When the arowana is semiconscious, you can then proceed to put it back into its original tank.Summary
Adding Salt 0.3%, heater 32c, yellow powder (anti bacteria medication) & blackwater after operations will help prevent infections. Recovery period (usually 3 weeks to 3 months) depends on water, environment conditions and also age of arowana (usually 3 weeks to 3 months). If a proper job was done, you will not even be able to tell the difference. It is usually best left to the professionals to do the operations for a nominal fee. 3 Months later, Notice the recovery of Operculum Membrane.
This article from arowana club, and this article has been tried as succes but be carefull.