All fish / Channidae

Small snakehead

Channa asiatica

Also known as chinese snakehead, asian snakehead, small snake head, channa asiatica snakehead, spotted snakehead, ปลาช่อนจีน, haruan, コウタイ, gabus, 月鳢, 七星鱼, 山斑鱼

This small snakehead has a long brown to dark grey body with no pelvic fins, rows of small pale spots along the flanks and a dark eyespot ringed in white near the tail base. Keepers like it because it stays fairly small for a snakehead, handles cool subtropical water and has a lot of personality.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

20 cm

Temperature

12 to 26 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

150 litres

Keep as

Keep singly or as a settled pair

Diet

Carnivore: earthworms, prawns, mussel, fish fillet and sinking carnivore pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 12 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Southern China (including Hainan), Taiwan and northern Vietnam; introduced to Japan

Breeding

Pairs are mouthbrooders: the male holds the eggs and fry in his mouth while both parents guard the young. Captive spawning happens fairly often in a well-planted, quiet tank with a compatible pair.

Good to know

It will eat any fish small enough to swallow, can jump, and needs a tight-fitting lid. Live snakeheads are banned or need a permit in places such as the USA and parts of Australia and Europe, so check your local laws before buying one.