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Thread: Channa Species Reference

  1. #1
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    Channa Species Reference

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    Thought id put this up to stir some interest in this species.

    Scientific name: Channa Mircopeltes

    Common name: giant snakehead , toman snakehead , red snakehead , redline snakehead

    maximum size: reports upto 5ft or 152cm - these until proven otherwise are to be discredited as fishermens tales the average size recorded is around 3.5ft or 106cm but in home aquaria a very large specamin would be around 3ft or 91cm , which is still a lot of responsability for any owner/keeper

    native range : thailand , malay peninsula , sumartra and borneo

    introduced range: USA including - Maine , Massachusetts , Rhode Island ,Baltimore, Los Angeles , several captures throughout Florida

    temperament: one of the few social channa species ,its known to hang out and hunt in groups , in the aquaria they do well in groups when they are still youngsters but soon they'll start squabling amoung each other as transformation takes place to an adult, however many people have succesfully housed a group together into adulthood , temperament between the micropeltes and other fish good when young but as the fish grow they tend to become more aggresive , and any addition to the already established tank is usually killed swiftly , strangly fish that have grew up with the micropeltes are sometimes ignored and accepted as part of the group ,but if this fish is anything it is unpredictable ,and it would be foolish to house anything you are attatched to or indeed is expensive with this fish

    Temperature: the temperature range of this fish is from upper sub-tropical to tropical and is best maintained at around 25-30deg

    Breeding: no reports from private breeders although comercial breeding is frequent , clears an area of vegetation at the surface where the eggs are deposited and subsequently hatch out as fry . Parents guard and protect these eggs , only the very largest of aquaria would be possible to breed such a monster fish

    Habitat: rivers lakes canals and reservoirs ,usually found in still waters, unlike some of the dwarfs this species is thought to very rarley if at all leave the water and try to move across land

    Feeding: this is a very unfussy feeder , but stomach samples have shown that this fish mostly feeds on other fish , other contents where mainly frogs and birds , in the aquarium the fish will take all the usual fair. From frozen foods to livefoods.

    Mixing: should only be mixed with others from an early age and even then with extreame caution , do not keep anything with this fish that you will be upset by if you lost it , due to the final size of this fish most hobbiests will only have room for this fish alone when adult ,so mixing should not really be a concern

    Set-Up: Though they are big and mean , they still need to feel comfortable in their suroundings , create a set up with floating cover and heavy planting and wood use , these fish will thank you for it by being much more active and curious , as adults this type of set up may not be acheivable for most people due to the size of there aquaria , this is one of the reason this species is not really suited for the home aquaria , if you are to keep them as a bare minimun you should use floating cover as this will help settle the fish and reduce the hazzard of the fish breaking through the lid of the aquariam

    Why you should not keep: because this fish is capable of reaching 2.5 to 3 ft in the home aquarium needs a tank of at least 3ft wide and at least 8ft long , how many people do you know with that size tank ,even more so , how many people with that sized tank are willing to dedicate it to one fish (yes one fish ,this is the minimum size for one micropeltes to feel at least a little bit of security in)
    micropeltis are very fragile when in their young stages , they do not tolerate fluctuations in water parameters very well and many are lost to both beginers and more advanced aquarists
    micropeltes at a large size are dangerous , you wouldnt want to stick your bare hands in the tank for long periods of time.

    Why you should keep: because you have reached the next level and have in place a tropical pond in place ready for them as they grow , because you are one of the lucky few who have a tank big enough to house it for life , because you are lucky enough to live in the natural range where you can safely release them when they out grow there quarters, because they are the top freshwater predator , and are a fascintating fish to grow and study.

    Notes: Probably the most available snakehead on the market , most shops will either stock theese or have them on there order lists , extremly cheap to buy , used as feeder fish in asia.


    Picture of the young



    Picture of the adult
    Last edited by Fingerling; 29th May 2009 at 21:30.

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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa Bleheri

    Common names: Rainbow snakehead

    Size: Usually 15cm/6 inches

    Description: Described in 1991 by Heiko Bleher. One of the smallest and also one of the prettiest Snakeheads. No pelvic fins. Dorsal ray count 36-37; anal ray count 24; predorsal scales 6-7; lateral line scales 45-46

    Juvenile differences in colouration: From a small size the sides of the body are yellow, with a dark bar on the head, angled from the tip of the lower jaw, through the eye. This then develops into adult colouration as the fish grows.

    Sexual Differences: Males are more brightly coloured and larger, males also grow quicker than females.

    Geographical location: Brahmaputra River basin, Northern Assam, India

    Maintenance: Snakeheads are known to live and survive in quite inhospitable conditions naturally so water quality is not paramount, but this doesn’t mean its ideal. Because of their high protein diet ample filtration is required and regular weekly water changes are best. Snakeheads do not cope with rapid water parameter changes as well as some other fish I.E a large PH change so its best to try and match the water as best as possible.

    Compatibility: One of the most peaceful Snakeheads, Territorial disputes can occur with other Snakeheads but it is rarely serious. Can be kept with other fish as long as they are not small enough to fit in their mouths.

    Hazard scale: Not considered to be hazardous in anyway.

    Water Parameters: Coming from the Assam region Channa Bleheri have a Winter temp of 19 C and Summer temp of 22-28 C/72-82 F; they prefer the cooler side of that range, pH 6-7.5,

    Tank size: One of the advantages of Channa Bleheri is its small size and peacefulness. These Snakeheads can be kept in a relatively small aquarium. 36” for a pair, groups can be kept in larger setups.

    Aquarium setup: The aquarium should be well planted with open areas to swim in. Make sure hiding places are provided. All Snakeheads breath air and can suffocate if they are prevented from reaching the surface to breath. A secure top should be in place as they are excellent jumpers. Channa Bleheri are excellent escape artists and can escape from the very smallest of holes. Do not underestimate their escaping abilities. They can survive for sometime out of water as long as their lungs don’t dry out but the impact from the height of the tank to the floor may cause injury they cannot recover from.

    Behaviour: These are one of the most peaceful snakeheads although territorial disputes can occur. It is possible to keep a number of these snakeheads in a relatively small aquaria.

    Breeding: These snakeheads have been breed many times in captivity. As with many snakeheads from the Northern Assam region it is necessary to lower the water temperature for a period of time then raise it to stimulate breeding. As with all snakeheads putting a male and female together is no guarantee that a pair will be formed. The best practice is to get a group and let a pair form from that group and then separate them as if breeding is successful the others will eat the fry. They should be provided with a cave which will make them feel comfortable and spawning will start from there. The male will select the site and the female will start the spawning, This will continue for a couple of days before the eggs are laid. The eggs are deposited and then float to the surface then collect as a floating raft. Hatching can take as little as 30 hours. They will be guarded by both parents and supplied with feeder eggs initially. They should be provided with small brine shrimp, and other small live food to begin with but they will quickly adapt of frozen and artificial foods

    Feeding: Accepts most meaty foods, Mussels, Shrimps and artificial foods.

    Misc. Information: This snakehead is commonly referred to as the Rainbow Snakehead, common names can be confusing and their use can cause issues with correct identification.
    There is also another snakehead sometimes referred to as Blue Bleheri, for some time it was thought that they may have been the same species, They are now described separately and named Channa Sp. Assam.

    Notes: used to be very common site in lfs , not so much now ,pattern and colour vary greatly between two fish ,and colourfull ones are getting harder to find , a fair few shops will have this fish on order lists.

    A picture of the fish

    Picture credited to Hayath.

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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa Gachua

    Common name: Dwarf snakehead , Brown snakehead , Frog snakehead

    Size: as a species complex the size of gachua is highly variable ,from around 7" to around 12" usually

    Temperature: As a species complex the range in indeed far and wide, upper range is 36deg in some hot springs in sri-lanka to 13deg in parts of Afganistan , it is therefore important to try and find out the origin country of your fish , as this lets you set up the aquarium to the best possable situation for your fish.

    Prefered PH: varies between where fish is found , it is know to tolerate from 3.1ph to 9.6ph with 100% survival , for best results aim toward neutral or slighly lower between 6-7ph

    Natural range: wide spead accross India ,Sri-Lanka ,Thailand , Xambodia ,Laos ,Bangladesh, Afganistan ,Iran ,Myanmar, Malaysia ,Borneo ,Vietnam ,Afganistan and China

    Introduced range: Taiwan and the Greater Suda islands

    Prefered habitat: pools, shollow river and streams

    Breeding: as with all the members of the channa group, its best to start out with a group of 6 or more fish , from this a pair should form ,when a pair has formed it is advisable to swiftly remove all other fish from the aquarium , gachua are mouthbrooders in the male sex ,and take excellent care of their young , one a a very few channa that will breed in tanks without plant cover , breeding is triggered by long periods without water change then a large change with fresh cooler water to initiate a spawning response.

    Sexing: sexing gachua is very hard and the only reliable way to get a pair is by letting the fish pair up from a group

    Tank set-up: even though this species can breed in a bare tank , its best to use a well structered tank with plant wood and rocks and floating cover as this fish can be very shy and if it does not feel secure it will spend most of its day hiding.

    Feeding: feeding in the aquarium is simple and the fish will happly consume all the normal foods used from frozen fish food to fresh shrimp ,prawns and even pellets , it is important not to overfeed this fish as they can quickly become over weight ,every other day is enough and you may find you can cut back to once every 3 days , in nature they are nocturnal feeders. Their stomach contents reveal a diet of rats , fish, tadpoles, prawns ,crabs ,and other crustaceans

    Temperament: very sociable channa, outside of breeding they are quite happy to live along side each other ,and rarely bother other fish ,however if a pair forms in the aquarium aggression level will raise drastically

    Mixing: mixes quite well with other fish as long as its basic needs are catered for , avoid overly aggresive fish and fish small enough to be seen as food , fish that have been tried and tested include angles, rainbow fish and some of the more docile cichlids , please bare in mind that if you keep this fish with other the chance of breeding will be greatly reduced as the gachua sometimes see the other tank inhabitants as a threat and the fries are swiftly eaten by other tank mates , avoid useing plecos that are easty to breed because if they breed the channa will eat the babies and their bristles can get stuck in the channas mouth .
    Also try and reserch where your fish has come from ,the gachua from China and Afganistan would not do well in full tropical temperatures

    Notes: the easiest dwarf channa to find in shops , a lot of the more specalised shops will carry these ,and nearly all shops will have them on there order lists.




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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa Aurantimaculata

    Common name : Golden spotted cobra snakehead , Orange spotted snakehead

    Size: upto around 16 inches or around 40 cm

    Temperature: 19deg in winter and up to 25deg in summer

    Prefered PH: between 6 and 7ph but know to tolerate a wide range

    Natural range: Brahmaputra River basin, Northern Assam, India - same area as bleheri and sp turqoise

    Habitat: ponds, swamps and streams etc

    Introduced range : none known at this time

    Breeding : only known breeding sucess is reported by a german aquarist , from this we know they are mouthbrooders and also egg feeders , practice spawning can be witnessed year round but activity heightens as temperatures drop during winter. We believe the trigger temperature to be around 20deg , as with all channa its best to start out with a group and let the fish pair up for themselves .

    Sexing: it is very dificult to tell the sexes apart ,but there are some pointers that will help with this , females have less spots / freckles and wider more defined orange bars , females' heads are more rounded when looking from a profile shot male has more sloped head.

    Tank set-up: floating cover is a must for this species as they like to hang out under it , also a cave of some description is prefered ,without a cave they usually dig into the substrate to try and burrow, tank should be well structured with plants and wood ,to enable less dominant fish an escape route. Sand substrate is preferred and they have been know to eat small pebbles rocks etc which most of the time they throw up but they may get stuck and cause problems. Like most sub-tropicals from India they seem to prefer the addition of powerheads near the surface during winter, which can be removed around april in time for summer

    Tank size: even though this is a medium sized channa keeping any more than one requires a very long tank ,otherwise fights will break out constantly and will often result in the death of any of the fish , i would advise 7ft or longer for a pair of group , single fish kept as a specimen can be housed in smaller quarters

    Feeding: all the usual foodstuffs are taken ,but seem to show a preference for prawn, shrimp,small cuts of fish, etc but are quite happy with most frozen foods and can be trained to eat pellets but when eating pellets they are very messy so having an excellent filtration system is a must.

    Temperament: towards there own kind they are among one of the nastiest channa around. They simply cannot stand each other unless they have formed a pair, even then fights can break out at the drop of a hat and they are capable of inflicting great damage on each other, strangly when mixed with other fish they seem to ignore all but the smallest fish ,if they dont see it as food they are usually fine.

    Mixing: firstly these fish are best kept as a pair ,a bonded pair and as the availability of true bonded pairs is nearly non existent and if they do come up the prices would reflect this. So it is best to keep in a species tank in the hope to get a pair from the group. You should have no problem in moving on any fish you end up with extra as they are always on demand,
    if keeping a bonded pair of group is not for you , this species can be housed with other fish, but choose carefully robust fish that are not overly aggresive, as these fish are sub-tropical you need to house with fish that will tolerate the lowest end of the tropical range, i would not suggest keeping long term at temperatures above 24-25deg, keeping in mind this fish does need floating cover to feel secure it is probably best to also avoid fish that eat plants.

    Notes: one of the most in demand of all the channa and low availability means that this fish comands a high price even at small sizes. If the channa ban goes ahead in 2010 with lack of tank bred specimens, prices will no doubt sore , and in time could be lost from the trade , it is impotant for any owner to try to breed there aurantimaculatas to keep this fish in the trade


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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Species name: Channa marulius complex

    Common name: Great snakehead, Bullseye Snakehead, Indian snakehead, "Pla Chon"

    Maximum size: 180 cm / 70 inches is noted as largest specimen but belived to be uncomfirmed , the largest confirmed at present is belived to be 122cm or 48 inches , in the home aquarium finding a specimen over 90cm or 36 inches would be exceptional , it is noted as one of the fastest growing snakeheads about equal with micropeltes , average growth is around 7cm per month , and starts to fill out in the second year

    Origin :Pakistan India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Southern Nepal , Myanmar, Thailand, Mekong basin of Laos , Cambodia, and Southern China

    Introduced range: Tamarac, Broward County, Florida,

    Temperament: being a species compex the temperament varies widely , from moderately aggressive to very aggresive depending on location

    Company: being a species complex this is always going to be hit and miss ,i advice you use extreme caution , we have known some i.e. pseudomarulia to be very peaceful whereas others will not tolerate a single fish in the aquarium with them. Also its important to try and find out where your fish was caught , some of this complex are temperate to sub-tropical and some are tropical so any tankmates would need to suit these requirements, it is also noted that at a size of 25cm+ this species becomes a lot more aggresive toward anything housed with it


    Water parameters: Temperature range is very wide ,this species ranges from temperate to tropical regions , lowest known temp is 10 c. Again finding out the region your fish is from will help provide the best transition from wild to captive pH 6-7.5


    Feeding: It is predatory species its prefered food is 60% other fish and 40% crustations , in the aquarium it will take all the usual things .

    Breeding: this is going to be beyond all but the most dedicated aquarist sine the size of aquarium that would be required to acheive this will be beyond most peoples budgets. As with other members of the group ,start out with a small group of 5-6 fish , the fish will choose there own partner ,at which time any other fish should be quickly removed from the aquarium. Breeding can happen throughout the year , the pair will build a nest out of vegetation where they will deposit their floating eggs, the eggs hatch in around 30-50 hours depending on the temperature of the water. The higher the temperature the quicker they hatch. Parents guard the fry up until around 10cm and any maintanance in the aquarium should be kept to a bare minimun at this stage. The young can be fed newly hatched brineshrimp and shortly after finely chooped other foods. Brood sizes are reported from 400 to 3700

    Aquarium : the length of this fish is to be taken into account when choosing an aquarium. It can and does reach 3ft in an aquarium setting so the minimun width should therefore be 3ft, with a length of around 9ft being a bare minimun. The aquarium should be set up with sand as the substrate ,and floating cover an important feature , caves and large roots to hide under will be greatly appreciated.

    Notes: there are many pictures around the internet of this fish when they are young, however pictures of this fish in adult stages in home aquaria are very few. Which would suggest that most people do not realise the full extent of what they are taking on when buying this fish and most in the trade sadly do not reach adulthood.
    This is probably the second most commen snakehead offered for sale ,and prices should be low.


    A picture of the young


    A picture of the semi-adult

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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa Asiatica

    Common name: Chinese Snakehead, Green snakehead

    Maximum size: 34 cm / 14 inches , growth is rapid in the 1st two years then slows very much thereafter

    Origin: China, middle and lower Chang Jiang (Yangtze) basin, and Xun River basin in Guangxi and Guangdong provinces

    introduced range: Taiwan ,Japan, Ishigaki Shima Island in the Ryukyu Islands and occasionally found in Florida - USA

    Temperament: Very Aggressive to others and there own kind , this is among the most aggresive snakeheads , often removal of one of the fish is needed after spawning to prevent the partners killing each other , this fish does not take any prisioners and victims often appear to have been skinned.

    Company: very rarely accepts company in the long term and company should be sub-tropical which excludes most aquarium fish , should be kept in species tank , even bonded pairs have been known to kill each other

    Water parameters: Temperature 18-24c another sub tropical species pH 6-7.5

    Feeding: thrust preditor, feeds on other fish crustations and small mammals, in the aquarium can be trained to accept all the common offered

    Breeding :
    as always start out with small group and allow the fish to choose a pair , once paired remove all other fish from the aquarium , floating cover should be used in the aquarium, breeding starts at around 18 deg, eggs will float to the surface where they are guarded by parents ,eggs hatch out in around 48 hours depending on tempretue ,the higher the tempreture the quicker they hatch, new born should be fed with newly hatch brine shrimp, then offered finely crushed foods as they grow.


    Aquarium:
    well structured tank with plants wood etc is recommended. It is important that they have lots of escape routes. Due to their aggresive nature i would not recomend any tank smaller than 4 foot long by 20 inches by 20 inches , yet a bigger tank is much better for them , floating cover should be used and if breeding ensure that the water is still at the surface as eggs float to surface .

    Notes: this fish is found in the trade from time to time , it is fairly rare to find in lfs or on order lists , to find this fish you will probably need to contact a specalist shop or breeder direct.


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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa Striata

    Common name: Chevron Snakehead, Striped Snakehead, Haruan ,Toman Paya

    Maximum size: 90 cm / 35 inches

    Origin: Pakistan, most drainages of India, Southern Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Southern China, Malay Archipelago

    Introduced range: Hawaii ,Madagascar( theese are suspected mis-identifacation of maculata) , Philippines, Vogelkop Peninsula, Papua, Indonesia, Sundaland, Sulawesi, Lesser Sundas, Moluccas, Mauritius, Southern China.

    Temperament: striata is another suspected complex and so aggression levels vary between location , although in general most straitas are aggresive and grumpy fish that do not tolerate other very well at all

    Company: often passed off as a tropical species the complex ranges through temperate to tropical areas , to ensure best care try and find out from where your fish has come from so you can choose temperatue and company to suit , straita is often considered one of the hardest species of channa to mix with other fish

    tank: due to the size and aggresiveness of this fish only the largest of home aquaria should be considered , if keeping more than one in a tank a lot of cover at surface and structures to break the line of sight between the fish should be used

    Water parameters: Temperature 16-28˚C another wide ranging complex that covers areas that are from temperate to tropical , try and verify where your fish has been imported from pH 6-7.5

    Feeding: main food in nature is frogs worms prawns but most of all other fish. It will accept all living food that is appropriate for their size in aquaria can be trained to eat dead foodstuff. Fries feed on algae.

    Breeding: acheived in aquarium , eggs float to the surface where guarded by both parents ,some time deposited in floating vegitation but know without any vegitation , can breed twice a year and all year round , parents can be canabalistic on fry if food is in shortage and fry can be canabalistic amoung each other , find a pair through the normal channa way of starting with a small group of 6-8 juviniles and let pair off

    note: can be found in the trade from time to time but fairly rare , its importance as a source of food means it stays fairly rare for most in the trade, when available they are relativly chaep to purchase , most albino strains of snakehead are straita ,the albino strain will comand a higher price than the standard pattern.



    Last edited by Fingerling; 29th May 2009 at 17:29.

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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa Stewartii

    Common name: Golden Snakehead Assamese snakehead

    Maximum size: 30cm approx 11inches although varients reported larger

    Origin: Endemic to Brahmaputra (upper, middle, lower) River basin of India and Bangladesh, Ganges River basin from southern Nepal southeastward . In southern Nepal, it occurs in the Kamala, Bagmati, Koshi, Gandaki, and Karnali River basins
    Introduced range : not known at this point

    Temperament: often sited as one of the more aggresive snakeheads ,they belong to the same group as aurantimaculata and barca and have the same sort of temperament,

    Company: as a sub-tropical species tankmates should be chosen to suit , if this fish takes a dislike to any tankmate it will swiftly kill them , even its own kind are not tolerated very well ,and this fish is probably best left to the more experianced channa keeper in a well though out species tank

    Water parameters: Temperature 18-24c ranges from warm temperate to sub-tropical ; pH 6-7.5

    Feeding: this snakehead will accept all the usual fare , feeds well on insects worms ,frozen foods, market shrimp and prawn also bits of fish

    Breeding: start out with small group and allow them to chose there own pair , this fish is mouthbrooder in the male sex , they are very good parents and fry should be left with parent until upto 10cm in lenght

    Tank
    : even though this is a dwarf species you can not get away with a small tank , in small tanks they will fight constantly and that will result in many deaths , as always floating cover is needed to feel secure and the tank should contain many hiding places and be well planted , this is another species that really does prefer older tank water and live plant will help keep nitrates under control in such tanks aswell as providing much needed cover and hiding spots for the fish and breaking up the line of sight

    Notes: this fish is offered from time to time in the more specialised stores and from time to time on order lists , although they have become harder to obtain in recent years , because of the colouring of this fish and the relative small size ,especially of some of the newer varients ,this fish often comands a high price.





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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa Marulioides

    Common name: Emperor Snakehead, Darkfin snakehead, Toman Bunga, Flower snakehead ,Blue snakehead ,Blueline snakehead ,Green snakehead , Sumatran cobra snakehead

    Maximum size: 65 cm / 26 inches

    Origin: Rivers of southeastern Sumatra, Kapuas basin of western Kalimantan , Bangka, Belitung , Samarinda, eastern Kalimantan, peninsular Malaysia, Pahang , southern Thailand

    Introduced range: none confirmed at this time allthough unconfirmed reports are comming out of Florida USA

    Temperament: this channa is very rarely aggresive towards other fish or its own kind outside of breeding time , it is often said to be one of the more passive snakeheads.

    Company: this fish is a fairly good candadate for mixing with other fish ,so long that its requirments are met , you need to bare in mind that this fish alone will need a huge tank as an adult ,and when young it can be bullied by more aggresive fish. It will eat smaller fish given the opportunity, but looking at its teeth structure would suggest that it eats more crustations ect in nature and its lack of aggresion against other fish also goes to suggest this

    Water parameters: Temperature ,found in tropical areas 22-28˚C / 72-82˚ F; pH 6-7.5 it is though that lower ph and softer water have a direct influence on the development of the flower patterns that develop along the flanks of this fish , many in the aquarium do not fully develop these ,as of this time no scientific test have been carried out

    Feeding: Will like most other snakeheads eat almost any meaty food you give them or can be trained to do so. but do show a preference for prawns, shrimps etc it will also eagerly accept worms insects ect

    breeding :
    breeding has only been acomplished a couple of times in the aquarium both by the same person , it is reported to spawn in november and on both occasions spawned on exactly the same day of the month in november , we know from this that floating eggs are produced and are procected by a raft made out of vegetation that the parents make , at this time the parents become very aggresive and will attack anything in or near the tank , they also aggresive to each other and you may need to seperate them , for obvious reasons breeding should anly be attempted in a huge tank that is very well though out

    tank: this is a very large fish and req's a very large tank to suit , i would not recomend any thing less than 7ft long and 3ft wide , height is not so important , the tank should be very well thought out , even though they are big fish they still need hiding places and floating cover is a must as they like to hang out at the surface , tropical tempretures should be maintained

    notes : these are quite often found ,and are usually not very expensive , they come up quite oftem on order lists and can be found in some of the more specalist shops
    choose fish with six or more dark bands along there flanks , seven bands are seen as the best and have the most potential of becoming fully patterned adults , five bands are the most commonly found


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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa Barca

    Common name: Barca Snakehead

    Maximum size: up to 35" or 89cm

    Origin: Brahmaputra river near Goyalpara , the Ganges , from India and Bangladesh

    Introduced range: none known at this time

    Temperament: reported as very aggresive to its own kind and others , said to share the same temprement of other channa most closley related .i.e aurantimaculata and stewarti

    Company: has been mixed with other fish ,but great caution is advised ,this fish would be best at home living in a bonded pair. Anyone lucky enough to own one or several should do there most to try and breed this very rare fish.

    Water parameters: another sub-tropical species , the area of the brahmaputra river system that this fish is found ,does experience near tropical temps during the hot season and can get fairly cold in the cooler season , i would suggest setting your heater at 16-18deg as a low point and letting ambient temperatures take care of the warmer temps , if you live in an area that is cold year round where the tank is situated slowly raise your tempreture to 24-25deg throughout the summer months , water in the brahmaputra river is genrally soft to neutral ,samples taken show nitrate levels vary between 0 and 35ppm

    Habitat preference: inhabits larger rivers ,and is found in holes in the bank of the river ,the hole are not thought to be dug by the fish but rarther by either local birds or crabs , the hole genrally go upto a couple of feet into the bank and end in a round area ,where useally two fish can be found laying in a circle like a wheel , it is though the fish sits with its head poking out of the hole in the riverbank waiting for fish and other food to swim past where it can strike and then retreat back into its hole where it can eat its prey in safety

    Reproductive habits: unknown , the way this fish lives in the wild will certainly make it dificult to reproduce the conditions needed for reproduction in the home aquaria , but never the less with enough creativity anything it possable , anyone who manages it will have the honor of being the first person to acheive this and would no doubt make a lot of money from it , channa barca is without doubt one of the most expensive freshwater fish in the trade , and by far the most expensive channa ,at least until channa amphibious is re-descovered

    aquarium: a very large fish at the 3ft mark so a relativly large aquarium is also a must , they live in a riverbank so that is what you need to think about when aquascaping your tank , some sort of cave as a bare minimun but with a bit of creative flair anything is possable , the vast majority of channa requires floating vegetation to breed ,i would add this as it generally helps calm the fish down and feel secure also

    other information: remains the single most sought after channa available in the hobby, there is still only a few in captivity , pairs being even rarer with only one confirmed pair and another pair rumoured to exist. The price of this fish varies greatly depending on supply and demand.


    Picture credited to Ashdavid of waterwolves.

  11. #11
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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa Baramensis

    Common name: Barama Snakehead

    Maximum size: 22 cm / 9 inches

    Origin: Northern , Brunei and Borneo

    Introduced range: not known at this time

    Temperament: temperament is said to resemble that of its closest relative channa melasoma , whom we know to not tolerate other fish very well and can be quite aggresive amoung its own kind

    Company: best kept in a species tank and ideally as part of a bonded pair

    Water parameters: Temperature 22-25˚C / 72-77˚ F; pH 6.5 – 8.0

    Feeding: like most channa can be trained to take most of the going food , but keep diet varied or the fish can become addicted to a certain food

    Aquarium set up: in nature this fish is found in blackwater swamps , and this should be replicated in the aquarium , softer water is a must and the use of aquatic peat would be recomended. being a fairly aggresive fish the tank should be sized to take this into consideration , although only reaching 9 inches i would recommend a tank of around 4ft as a minimum

    Reproductive habits: not reported in the aquarium suspect similar to melasoma. eggs probably prone to fungas if water is too hard

    other notes : extremely rare fish and hardly seen in the trade.



    Picture credited to Michael lo

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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa Argus

    Common name: Northern Snakehead, Amur snakehead , Eastern snakehead, Ocellated snakehead, Spotted snakehead

    Maximum size: 85 cm / 33 inches there are reports from russia of fish upto 1.5 metre none as yet are confirmed and like its distant cousin are most likely exaggerations of locals and eager fishermen

    Origin: Russia, China, Korea

    Introduced range: sadly one of the most introduced and damaging freshwater fish , introdutions are very wide spread not only by the live food industry and the aquatic trade ,but also by goverments in the control of other species and rich land owners and heads of state as stock for there private lake which escaped after heavy flooding , this fish now owns one of the worst reputations amoung all freshwater fish and in many counteries is state ememy no. 1.

    known introductions include but not limited to all below :

    China - other than where it was origanally found
    Central and Southern Japan
    Czecho-Slovakia
    Russia - other than where origionaly found
    Southern Urals
    Ukraine
    Aral Sea basin
    Kazakhstan
    Uzbekistan
    Turkmenistan
    United States

    Habitat preference: Stagnant shallow ponds or swamps with mud substrate and aquatic vegetation slow muddy streams . Also occurs in canals, reservoirs, lakes, and rivers

    Temperament: reported to be Very Aggressive , hunts in groups so is likely to tolerate others of its own kind more than some of the channa mentioned

    Company: Channa argus should only be housed with its own kind and very rarley takes any prisioners , its preferance for cooler waters also rules out most fish as suitable tank mates

    Water parameters: Temperature 0-30 c can tolerate a massive temp range from part frozen lakes to the tropics reports from an experiment in russia ,report during a particular bad winter of 3 test ponds which reached -30deg ended with two ponds totally wiped out of all fish but in the third pond some argus did survive ; pH 6-7.5

    Feeding: Channa argus (Northern Snakehead) are predatory and accept most meaty foods as allways keep it varied to avoid the fish becomming hooked on one type of fish

    breeding: above the reach of the average aquarist due to the size of the adult fish , but given the correct set-up breeding should prove not to be dificult , the pair spawns in a cleared patch of aquatic vegetation ,eggs float to surface where they are guarded by parent fish , aggression levels at this time means any work do in the aquarium should be kept to an absolute minimum , the adults will fiercely protect their fries

    Other info: probably the most banned fish in the world , due to its ability to survive such extremes in temperature. Goverments have taken measures to protect there enviroment against this invader, banned through all of Europe and America also Australia and New Zealand parts of canada amongst others .

    special permits are given out to own this fish in many countries but in reality are near impossible to qualify for .

    in reality this fishes close relatives channa maculata and channa panaw are a much better suited aquarium fish yet have a similar look



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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa bankanensis

    Common name: Bangka Snakehead

    Maximum size: 14 cm / 6 inches there is also a larger variety the reaches 30cm! the fish are quite slow growers and some of my other snakeheads have grown at a rate nearly twice as fast!!

    Origin: Sumatra, Bangka Island ,rivers of central, southern, and western Kalimantan ,peat swamps of Selangor, peninsular Malaysia

    Introduced range: none known so far

    Temperament: this fish looks pretty freindly with its rounded head ,but in reality is just as aggresive as any other of the channa family, its mouth is still full of teeth and they are not afraid to use them !!

    Company: Channa bankanensis should be kept in a species tank only , it has quite specalist requirments which mean if kept correctly other fish would not survive very long (see tank set-up for details.) also would attempt to eat fish that look big enough to eat this can result in the fish choking to death.,

    Water parameters: Temperature 26-30 c strictly tropical species that thrives in soft water ,eggs are known to become fungsed is water to hard ; where it is caught the pH gets as low as ph 2.8 to 3.8

    tank-setup: it only does really well in very soft water , this can be acheived in the aquarium through the addition of almond leaves or other hardwood leaves oak etc. A 1/2 r.o. water and half rainwater with the addition of leaves others use peat either in a filter bad or as part of the substrate either way or a combination of the two can be used , the fish req little to no movment at the surface ,the relative low ph and dissolved oxygen would be totally unsuitable for the vast majority of fish to live in. the fish prefer a sand substrate with leaves plently of leaves added , because of the very low ph choose plants to suit , most discus plant collections will have suitable plants in. they still need surface cover and there should be plenty of places for the fish to retreat if they are to feel secure.

    Feeding: i have never found any problems with these fish taking any of the normal fare , they are quite aggresive feeders and seem to come to life as soon as any food hits the surface, shrimp, prawns, bits of fish insects like locusts crickets mealworms etc are all taken just as eagerly , also check out your local fishing bait store where often the things are priced cheaper

    breeding: as always find a group of young and let them find there own pair , they fish release eggs that float to the surface and are guarded by parents, feed with newly hatched brine shrimp, low ph and no surface movment along with vegitation are all needed for a sucsessful spawn.

    other notes: this is one of the rarer snakeheads found in the trade. but suprisingly when it appears is relatively cheap to buy. It is very rarly found on import lists and most shops will never of seen one , you will need to go to the more specialist store to find ,which is a shame as it is one of the most suitable snakeheads for most aquarists due to its small size


    A picture of the young




    A picture of 2 adults

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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa punctata

    Common name: green snakehead, dolla or daula snakehead ,spotted snakehead

    Maximum size: approx 30 cm / 12 inches, varients may differ in size slightly but some are still new to the trade so final size is still unknown

    Origin: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, southern Nepal , Bangladesh, Myanmar(suspected mis-identifacations of channa panaw), southwestern China

    Introduced range: southern Mosambique, (possibility - only one specimen found and could of been an illegal release ,no other specimens have been found in southern africa since, so no evidence to prove it is established.

    Temperament: can be aggresive to its own kind as well as other fish , but one of the less aggresive channa

    Company: Channa punctata is as with all members of the group channide best housed as a bonded pair or single fish, take extreme caution if mixing with other fish , again this fish is prone to choke on fish it cannot swallow and is equally prone to bullying from more aggresive fish.

    Water parameters: Temperature ,temperate to tropical upper lethal limit is 40 c lower lethal limit is 9 c
    again try and find out where your fish comes from to be able to provide the best possible care pH know to be able to stand a very wide ph range from ph 4.3 - 9 somewhere in the middle of this would be a good place to aim for

    Feeding: young feed primarily on zooplankton, with rotifers, insect, and crustacean larvae constituting most of the diet , Adults consume fishes, insects , stomach contents reveal aquatic vegetation is also consumed but hanging out there mouths after wolfing down there food that has fell and rested on a plant, this is another important reason why aquatic vegetation is so important in a channa set-up, providing greens to your snakehead.

    Tank set-up: since this species is found in a very wide range ,some detective work is needed from the keeper to provide the best conditions for your variant of this fish , however when this information is not available it is useally safe to set-up the tank on middle ground, head for neutral water and low tropical temps around 24deg , structure the tank well with plants and wood , floating cover via surface plants , as allways the more secure the fish feels the more you will see it

    Other information: standard varients of this species are usually fairly easy to locate ,and often appear on import lists and is one of the species you may find in some of the better local stores. specialist store should have little problem finding this fish for you. however the newer varients of this fish are still extremely rare and do not appear often in the trade ,some of the specalist shops get them in from time to time.


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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa orientalis

    Common name: Ceylon Snakehead

    Maximum size: 10 cm / 4 inches

    Origin: Southwestern Sri Lanka

    Temperament: Predatory

    Company: Channa orientalis should not be kept with fish smaller than 2/3 of the species size.

    Water parameters: Temperature - tropical species likes softer water but has been bred several times is different PH levels 22-28˚C / 72-82˚F; pH 6-7.5

    Feeding: Channa orientalis (Ceylon Snakehead) accepts live and frozen food.









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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa melasoma

    Common name: Black Snakehead

    Maximum size: 30 cm / 12 inches

    Environment: freshwater streams , prefers to be shaded

    Temperament: Aggressive

    Company: Channa melasoma should not be kept with species smaller than the snakeheads.

    Water parameters: Temperature - found from tropical to sub-tropical 18-28˚C ; pH 5-5.3 has a distinct preference for still waters

    fisc.er.usgs.gov
    Last edited by Fingerling; 29th May 2009 at 19:41.

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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa panaw

    Common name: Panaw Snakehead

    Maximum size: at least 17 cm / 7 inches

    Origin: Ayeyarwaddy and Sittang River basins, Myanmar

    Temperament: Predatory

    Company: Channa panaw should only be kept with fish larger than 2/3 of the species size.

    Water parameters: Temperature mainly sub-tropical but range extends into tropical , temp 18-28 c ph around ph 5-6 and enjoys cover / shade

    Feeding: Channa panaw should be fed live food.


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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: Channa pleurophthalma

    Common name: Ocellated Snakehead

    Maximum size: 40 cm / 16 inches - has been know to attain larger sizes than this in the aquarium , there are also a few different varients some seem to grow longer than others


    Origin: Rivers of Southeastern Sumatra; Kapuas and Barito basins of Kalimantan

    Temperament: this fish is a pack hunter and this can be clearly seen in the aquarium and if one lanches an attack on something then all will follow in a matter of seconds. they are fairly docile compared to the bigger sister species micropeltis but still more than capable of doing serious damage to any fish.

    Company: Channa pleurophthalma remain one of the medium sized fish that many people have luck with mixing with other fish. of course extreame caution should be used and other tankmate chosen with care. make no mistake about it , if this fish thinks it can eat a fish in the tank with it then it will

    Water parameters: Temperature strictly tropical 22-28˚C / 72-82˚F; pH 6-7.5 - it is suspected colour is directly influenced by ph and lower ph seams to bring about better colours esp in the red/orange rings

    Feeding: Channa pleurophthalma can be fed on a wide range of foods , the main thing being is a varied diet , a mixture of fish and frozen foods will be taken with no problems , also larger insects small crayfish ect prawns can be used. can be pellet trained but not easy.

    Breeding : not yet done in the aquarium , but could be acheived in a large enough tank set up correctly. the best setup for sucsess in this would be a very long and wide tank , with a homemade background containing a shelf around 1ft from the surface and running the full lentgh of the tank. this should then be planted heavy with vallis . the shelf should be at least 1.5 - 2 ft wide meaning a very wide tank would be needed . in nature they swim in the open rivers in packs and when breeding time comes a pair swims into the shallows which are covered in vallis , they spawn in the heavy vallis and are though to then return to the group . i belive it is this shollow area that is going to be the key to a sucessfull breeding of this species

    Other notes : not very common and hard to obtain means prices are kept up , adult fish are very rarly seen and when they are command a very high price . Young fish are very easily upset to changes in water parameters and care should be taken when water changes are carried out . this is how 95% of theese fish are lost . this improves with age , but caution should be taken even with adults.

    Sexing: can only be sexed once mature , after 12" it should be fairly easy to see the difference in the fish , females are much deeper bodied where as males are more slender . male also appear more blue where as the female retain a green shade thoughout adulthood. when seen side by side it is easy to tell if male or female. however as with all channa a male and female does not ensure a bonded pair is formed ,so geowing out a group of fish is recommended.


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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Channa sp. true blue


    Picture credited to amiidae of arofanatics

    Refer to Channa stewerti profile.

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    Re: Channa Species Reference

    Scientific name: sp assam or lal cheng

    Common name: blue blehri / assam blue

    Family: Channidae

    Maximum size: 18 cm

    Origin: the assumed name of sp. assam is slightly misleading , this fish is collected from a tiger reserve outside of assam in fact they come from Northern West Bengal

    Temperament: a predatory species as will all of the family , quite aggresive in small quarters so should house a group in a min 3ft aquarium

    Company: not be kept with fish smaller than 2/3 of the species size. also consider this is a sub-tropical species and does suffer from bacterial infections if kept year round at tropical temperature. If trying to mix with other fish , choose fish from the same area , a bit of research will go a long way and uncover some nice sub-tropical speceis that may be mixed with caution.

    Water parameters: Temperature 18-22 c although does get exposed to higher temps during the summer. another sub-tropical species ,do not keep them too warm year round ,they will die of infection please bare this in mind if you live in a tropical countries a chiller will be require for part of the year and can be expensive to run. This fish look their best in softer water, i would aim for as low as ph5.5 during the dry season and let it rise up to 7 in the wet season

    Feeding: will accept all live food and often frozen food. the best diet for these fish is a mixture of insects , worms and frozen foods , can be train to eat pellets also. Try your local fishing supplies or reptile centre for suitable foods



    sexing : females show far more blue along the flanks , there is also a diferance in head shape along with a taller dorsal fin in males with much more intense colouring. when you see them side by side it is easy to see.

    breeding : start out with small group as even if you know you have one female and one male this does not mean they will be a bonded pair. To breed this fish attention to there natural habitat needs to be looked at and copied for best results. They live in flooded fields and as such such be provided with an aquarium that is densly planted with any large growing grass like plant . i prefer to use valis that grows to the surface then along the surface. the tank should be planted so dense that the fish are easly hidden from view when looking into the tank. after the cold break over winter a large water change should start things of . during the summer you can slowly remove the water in the tank to a level of around 8 inches and some sort of leaf should be added to condition the water. this will stimulate the still and drying out water of the flooded fields they inhabit , as winter approaches you can add fresh water to the tank and stop adding any leaves simulating the once again flooded fields of the wet season.

    this fish unlike the rainbow snakehead is a mouth brooder and egg feeder , they make excellent perants and guard the young. Young can be offered newly hatched brine shrimp.

    Other info : one of the more common channa offered for sale and makes a very good aquarium subject as long as the temperature is catered for.

    there is still discusion about what group this fish belongs , with many who think it is a new species that will be described with its own valid name. but there are also some who think this is a varient of bleheri , only once detailed work has been done will we know the truth.

    www.wildwoods.co.uk
    Last edited by Fingerling; 29th May 2009 at 19:39.

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