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TOPIC: snake heads

snake heads 4 years, 4 months ago #8609

  • timskie
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Does anybody here keep snakeheads?Not much is known about this speacies of fish so if anybody has experience with them please let me no thanks tim

Re:snake heads 4 years, 4 months ago #8621

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sorry, no experience with these fish, never even seen one and any other shops around here. However, I do know that some of them can get very big and they will eat just about anything they can get in their mouth
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Re:snake heads 4 years, 4 months ago #8625

  • metoo
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Neither any experience, but I think they're very cool. Was considering getting some for a while before I went and just got some more cichlids. Think they are banned in some parts of the world as well.

Which species have you got? Think there are quite some from relatively small (like 6") to very big. I remember there was a guy on some board here in DE who's breeding them, seems many of the smaller species are mouthbrooders, with the male doing that, and very prolific ones as well! Else I only know they're predatory, territorial and best kept as pairs but bet you knew that already. Some also seem to need cool temp in the winter season. Very interesting fish to me, would love some pics!
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Re:snake heads 4 years, 4 months ago #8626

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Ive got a pair of rainbows,apparantly they will top out at 9cm.We shall see!!They like inhospitable waters,frequent water changes kill em off,so i was told by the shop.There in wi the oscars but are gonna be moved soon don't want my o's to eat them.Ill try for some pics of em metoo.

Re:snake heads 4 years, 4 months ago #8627

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Haha cool, was jsut reading up on exactly those. So let's see what I found otherwise:

Some say they top out at 15cm (6"), some say 25cm (10") at max for the males, nobody said 9 cm though. The 'blue' variant from Assam might stay a bit smaller though from what I read. It is a bit hard to tell males and females apart but females tend to stay smaller and will appear rounder when ready to breed.

They like well planted tanks or at least should have many hiding spots. Some seem to prefer keeping them in soft water but they don't seem to be too picky, however when breeding soft water seems better, else the eggs tend to fungus.

Since they can breathe athmospheric air and tend to jump out of the tank, it should be well covered.

They form pairs which generally get along well but there might be some agression at times still. With others of the same species or other snakeheads, they can get very agressive and should therefore be kept as pair or at least in a big tank (not that us cichlid keepers wouldn't be used to that, lol).
Channa bleheri is not a mouthbrooder like other small species but builds bubble nests. Like I understood it, they then transfer the eggs to some spot on the substrate, and the male will guard them.

About feeding, it seems like what predatory cichlids eat should be good for them as well, like insects, earthworms, bit of fish etc.

It was about the rainbow snakeheads when I read they should have cooler temp in winter because it is like that where they come from. They are said to show better colours then, breeding is easier and they are less likely to get sick. Otherwise the normal tropical temp like 25C.

Can't think of more for now, it is anyway what was said in various articles, so no real idea what of that is really true and important lol.
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Re:snake heads 4 years, 4 months ago #8644

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I know red snakeheads(channa micropletes) are known to reach 36'' and can tear a fish in half with a single bite. They can even inflict wounds on people requiring stitches.

BTW, there's a show on Nat geo all about snakeheads...

Re:snake heads 4 years, 4 months ago #8688

  • delboybully
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I have heard of snakeheads but have only ever seen baby ones once in a shop

There is a really rubbish film (straight to video i think) about them getting polluted and they get big (the mum one was like 30ft) and they get smart and they can move on land and they attack and kill people, like i said really rubbish. However it is one of those films that is so rubbish its funny
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Red snake head 4 years, 4 months ago #8691

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Re:snake heads 4 years, 4 months ago #8756

  • timskie
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Are they you're reds pooky?It was the guy in the shop that said 9cm,but as you said metoo 6-10 inch is more like it.They are aggresive not to my o's but to each other.1 of em ripped all the skin of the top of the head of the other last night,they must of drunk to much hahahah.Im thinking now i want a slightly larger species of snakehead,but the only problem is they seem to go off movement while hunting,and my hand could become a target.Ill see hoe these go,was looking at some african tiger fish in the shop they look nasty!!Thanks for the research metoo much appreaciated.
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