Dwarf Snakehead
Channa gachua
- Care level
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 20 cm
- Minimum tank
- 243 litres
- Temperature
- 18–28 °C
Species profile
Barca Snakehead
Channa barca
Common names: Barca Snakehead, Snakehead
Recognized speciesSnakeheads
Adult size
Up to 90 cm
Up to 90 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- A keeper with room for a large aquarium
- A dedicated tank built around this one fish
Think carefully if
- You keep smaller fish, which it may eat
- You cannot provide about 2430 litres for a fully grown fish
- You keep shrimp you want to protect
A huge, rare snakehead from the Brahmaputra basin, which reaches about 90 cm and is highly prized by specialists. Keep alone or in a small group in 2430 litres or more.
Appearance and Identification
A huge, rare snakehead from the Brahmaputra basin, which reaches about 90 cm and is highly prized by specialists. Snakeheads are illegal to keep in some countries, including the United States, so check your local law.
Check the scientific name when buying, as common names vary between sellers and countries.
Sexes are usually hard to tell apart.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 9,720–12,150 litres an hour
- Minimum tank volume
- 2430 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 300 cm
- Minimum group size
- 2
- Recommended group size
- 2
- Activity level
- Moderate
- Flow preference
- Low to moderate
- Planting preference
- Moderately planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Moderate
Allow plenty of room, use a very secure lid and fit strong filtration. Predators produce a lot of waste, and many are strong jumpers.
Behaviour and Tankmates
A predator that spends much of its time watching and waiting for prey.
Usually best alone, or in a very large tank with others of its size.
Many are intolerant of their own kind.
It will eat any fish that fits in its mouth, so keep it with fish too big to swallow, or alone. It is likely to eat shrimp. Choose its tankmates with care.
Water Parameters
Fairly tolerant of different water, if it is clean and stable.
Parameter caveat
Keep up regular water changes, and acclimatise new fish slowly.
Feeding
- Diet types
- Carnivore, Predator
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Quality carnivore pelletsWorth training it onto these, as they are balanced and clean.
- Frozen prawn, mussel and fishUse a variety. Avoid a diet of feeder fish, which can bring in disease.
- EarthwormsA good food, and most predators take them readily.
An aggressive predator that eats fish and invertebrates. Feed frozen fish, prawns and earthworms.
Feed small amounts, and remove anything left after a few minutes.
Breeding
- Breeding type
- Mouthbrooder
- Breeding difficulty
- Moderate
- Parental care
- Mouthbrooding
- Baby foods
- Newly hatched brine shrimpThe fry can usually take this from the start.
- Crushed flakeA simple addition as they grow.
A mouthbrooder. The female usually holds the eggs and young fry in her mouth for a few weeks, and releases free-swimming young. Give her cover, and avoid stressing her during this time.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- India, South Asia
- Natural habitat
- River
- Aquarium contexts
- Large Freshwater Aquarium, Planted Aquarium, Species-Only Aquarium
- Audience level
- Specialist
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Channa
- Family
- Channidae
- Species group
- Fish, Snakeheads
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Forest Snakehead
Channa lucius
- Care level
- Specialist
- Adult size
- 40 cm
- Minimum tank
- 540 litres
- Temperature
- 20–30 °C
Giant Snakehead
Channa micropeltes
- Care level
- Specialist
- Adult size
- 130 cm
- Minimum tank
- 5760 litres
- Temperature
- 20–30 °C
Ocellated Snakehead
Channa pleurophthalma
- Care level
- Specialist
- Adult size
- 35 cm
- Minimum tank
- 864 litres
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C