All fish / Channidae

Northern snakehead

Channa argus

Also known as northern snakehead, snakehead, amur snakehead, chinese snakehead, argus snakehead, frankenfish, snakehead murrel, ปลาช่อนจีน, haruan utara, カムルチー, 雷魚, gabus argus

A large, thickset predator with a long dorsal and anal fin and a tan to brown body covered in dark, irregular blotches. It can breathe air and tolerates cold water, which makes it hardy, and some keepers value its bold, interactive feeding behaviour.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

60 cm

Temperature

10 to 28 °C

pH

6.5 to 8

Smallest tank

1000 litres

Keep as

Alone; one per tank

Diet

Carnivore: fish, prawns, earthworms, mussel and quality carnivore pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

China, Korea and far eastern Russia (Amur to Yangtze basins)

Breeding

Pairs clear a ring in vegetation and the eggs float in a nest at the surface, guarded fiercely by both parents along with the fry. It has been bred in large ponds and fish farms in Asia but rarely in home aquariums because of its size.

Good to know

Reaches 80 cm or more and needs a very large, tightly covered tank as it jumps. It is a highly invasive species: possession, sale and transport are banned in the USA, the EU (Invasive Alien Species list), the UK and many other places, so check local law before acquiring one.