All fish / Channidae

Rainbow Snakehead

Channa bleheri

Also known as rainbow snakehead, blehers snakehead, bleher's snakehead, dwarf rainbow snakehead, channa bleheri assam, ปลาช่อนเรนโบว์, ikan haruan pelangi, レインボースネークヘッド, チャンナ・ブレヘリ, channa bleheri, gabus rainbow, 彩虹雷龙

A small, colourful snakehead with a brownish body, dark spots and fins edged in bright orange and blue, which is why it is called the rainbow snakehead. It stays far smaller than most snakeheads, making it one of the most popular members of the group for home aquariums, and it shows a lot of character towards its keeper.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

14 to 25 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

80 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a bonded pair

Diet

Carnivore: earthworms, prawns, bloodworms, mussel and fish fillet, some take pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

India (Brahmaputra basin, Assam)

Breeding

It is a paternal mouthbrooder, with the male holding eggs and the pair guarding the fry afterwards. Captive breeding is achieved fairly regularly once a compatible pair forms, and a cooler winter period often helps trigger spawning.

Good to know

It needs a tightly covered tank as snakeheads jump and can breathe air, and it will eat any fish small enough to swallow. Live snakeheads are banned or need permits in several places, including the USA and parts of Australia, so check local law.