Great snakehead (Channa marulius)

Scientific name: Channa marulius Hamilton, 1822

The Great snakehead (Channa marulius) is a freshwater fish of the family Channidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 24–28°C (75–82°F). Native range: Asia, India to China, south to Thailand and Cambodia and Pakistan.

Great snakehead care at a glance

Temperature: 24–28°C (75–82°F)

Biology

Occurs in sluggish or standing water in canals, lakes, and swamps. Inhabits waters with submerged aquatic vegetation. Usually found only in deep pools in rivers and occasionally in lakes. Enters flooded forest. Carnivorous and subsists on fish, frogs, snakes, insects, earthworms and tadpoles. There are reports of this species taking water birds, snakes, and rodents. Males are territorial. May bite when caught (Elliot Bligh, pers. comm., 2001).

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Channa marulius
Family: Channidae (Snakeheads)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 183
Common length: 46.0
Environment: Freshwater; benthopelagic; potamodromous
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Asia: India to China, south to Thailand and Cambodia and Pakistan.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Traumatogenic
Uses: Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.23)