View Full Version : All About The Giant Snakehead
Taker
08-06-2005, 11:57 AM
let us share our knowledge of this predator with our fellow forumers. This predator's scientific name is Channa Micropeltes. In english, it is called the Giant Snakehead or the Red Snakehead. In Malay and Indonesian it is called Toman Harimau ( Harimau means Tiger, it comes from the Tiger like stripes it has ) and 'Shado' in Thailand. My first question is regarding the name Red Snakehead. I personally think this name does not fit this fish, the name red only came from the reddish tone it has as a baby which soon fades away as it grows. The first picture below is a picture of the Giant Snakehead fry. You can cleary see why it has the reddish tone to its body now, that is how they are born and as they grow, they begin to transform as their strong scales and colours emerge which continuously change until adulthood.
So when the juveniles are seen to be reddish as shown in the next picture below, they get named as the Red Snakehead. But as shown in the following picture, not all juveniles are reddish in colour or reddish enough to carry that particular name. Some adult Giant Snakeheads do have some reddish tone just a little at the end of their tails but that is definitely not enough either to name them as the Red Snakehead, just look at the following adult Giant Snakehead pictures. And anyone who does not know of the Red Snakehead would definitely see it as a Snake-headed fish that is in red colour. I am sure some of those who know and are a fan of this predator which I see as the Great White Shark among Sharks or as the T-Rex of the fresh water do feel as I do. Thank you. :)
sandtiger
08-06-2005, 12:57 PM
Black basses (largemouth, spotted, smallmouth etc.) are nether black nor are they truely bass. They are actually sunfish. When they are fry they are black however so thats where the name comes from. Kinda like your snakehead.
zhuangsw
08-06-2005, 2:34 PM
the giant snake head makes great fish for eating over here in asia. hehe
they are sold at the wet markets and resturant.
well, red snake head isnt their scientific name, just the comman names ppl calls it, like u said, due to when they are young, they are orangey/red in color.
but if you dont like calling it the red snake head, then call it the giant snake head lor. its up to you.
thanks for spending time writing this post and posting those cool pictures!
Thank you guys! :thumbsup: alright I won't call it the Red Snakehead then :grinyes: well just thought why there were two names for this fish and I had seen people disagreeing with the name Red Snakehead too. But you are right, and those pictures definitely show some great Giant Snakeheads!
sandtiger
08-06-2005, 7:59 PM
I ahve always called them giant snakeheads.
I prefer the name Giant Snakehead too. Does anyone have a Snakehead? I do not own a Snakehead now, I have had three Giant Snakeheads in my childhood, one jumped out of the tank, glided and fell from my apartment before I could stop it. The rest of the two then grew and ruled the tank, my parents could not handle them for how aggressive and strong they were, no fish survived in the tank, they brutally killed and ate any fish put in there. You could even see blood in the water after they were done feeding. They were still young and were always hungry, my dad had to spend a lot for their food, we fed them Roseyreds everyday.
I tried to put an Oscar which was too large for them to swallow, the Oscar were there for about a few days and one morning, all I saw were my two Giant Snakeheads swimming as if the Oscar was never there. I was dumb founded thinking how did they eat the Oscar which was really big for them, plus their bellies were not swollen. I even tried to see if the Oscar had jumped out but no, no sign, no trace of the Oscar was left.
I was forced to take them away by my parents which was very saddening to me. They were amazing fish, never seen anything like that. I am definitely having them again once I move to AZ. Yes, I have been thinking, are Snakeheads illegal in Arizona too? I believe Snakeheads are not illegal in all states of America like New York.
Why can't I edit my post? Well, I just wanted to edit that the Snakehead that fell from my apartment did not glide but wiggled, the tank was placed at the back of my house and it happened as I was trying to clean the tank. It was a juvenile still, I just did not expect it to jump that far, it fell from the 13th floor, I sure had tears in my eyes as I was holding it on the ground. Well, that is something that I learned from this predator.
aapl76
08-07-2005, 6:49 AM
wow!!! i love e coloration of this babe....simply steam to the max.... :drool:
zhuangsw
08-07-2005, 9:57 AM
dear bro taker, sorry to hear about your lost for your beloved giant snake heads. well when you get your own house next time, you can try keeping them again. hehe
btw, i love this pic you post. the snake head has AAA grade writen over its body! very cool, wonder if its a symetrical A snake head? haha
sandtiger
08-07-2005, 11:38 AM
The only thing I don't like about the above photos is the dude holding it out like that. I HATE THAT...makes the fish look that much larger. THe fish is still nice though, not his fault.
Personally I like this fish...
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2377&stc=1
DanDanUK
08-07-2005, 11:45 AM
I prefer the name Giant Snakehead too. Does anyone have a Snakehead? I do not own a Snakehead now, I have had three Giant Snakeheads in my childhood, one jumped out of the tank, glided and fell from my apartment before I could stop it. The rest of the two then grew and ruled the tank, my parents could not handle them for how aggressive and strong they were, no fish survived in the tank, they brutally killed and ate any fish put in there. You could even see blood in the water after they were done feeding. They were still young and were always hungry, my dad had to spend a lot for their food, we fed them Roseyreds everyday.
I tried to put an Oscar which was too large for them to swallow, the Oscar were there for about a few days and one morning, all I saw were my two Giant Snakeheads swimming as if the Oscar was never there. I was dumb founded thinking how did they eat the Oscar which was really big for them, plus their bellies were not swollen. I even tried to see if the Oscar had jumped out but no, no sign, no trace of the Oscar was left.
I was forced to take them away by my parents which was very saddening to me. They were amazing fish, never seen anything like that. I am definitely having them again once I move to AZ. Yes, I have been thinking, are Snakeheads illegal in Arizona too? I believe Snakeheads are not illegal in all states of America like New York.
RAYMAN has a beautie snakehead he's got some video footage of it too check it out in the video gallery !
zhuangsw
08-07-2005, 3:30 PM
The only thing I don't like about the above photos is the dude holding it out like that. I HATE THAT...makes the fish look that much larger. THe fish is still nice though, not his fault.
how come you say holding the fish like that makes it look bigger? can explain? so how should i hold the fish properly for photo taking?
sandtiger
08-07-2005, 5:25 PM
Because his arms are streached way out in front of the camera.
jenBLKAROWANA
08-08-2005, 11:02 AM
OH MY GAWD!!! I had two of them a LONG time ago...They were only about 10" when We got rid of them...you can read the story in another post...lol...I never imagined they got that big! We got them because we thought snakeheads were cool....Now we know better...Mean suckers!
zhuangsw
08-08-2005, 11:03 AM
The only thing I don't like about the above photos is the dude holding it out like that. I HATE THAT...makes the fish look that much larger. THe fish is still nice though, not his fault.
Personally I like this fish...
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2377&stc=1
ic, thanks. for explaning. damm look at this pic, look at those teeth the sh has..
sandtiger
08-08-2005, 10:32 PM
Yeah...and you know that guys big...he is not holding away from himself.
wow!!! i love e coloration of this babe....simply steam to the max.... :drool:
No killing Snakeheads! :nono:
:D lol and below is one of my favourite Giant Snakehead pictures, just look at that fierce face...
dear bro taker, sorry to hear about your lost for your beloved giant snake heads. well when you get your own house next time, you can try keeping them again. hehe
btw, i love this pic you post. the snake head has AAA grade writen over its body! very cool, wonder if its a symetrical A snake head? haha
Thank you Zhuangsw, I am actually looking forward to having Giant Snakeheads again, I will get two of them. I am moving to Mesa, Pheonix, but I am trying to find out if Snakeheads are prohibited there, they better not be :(. And speaking of the picture, lol Zhuangsw, it's funny I didn't realize until you mentioned it. Very true, I am amazed myself, lol it just looks amazing, I guess you are right it could be a symmetrical 'A' Giant Snakehead :D. It really has AAA grade written over its body, thank you for letting me know, but symmetrical 'A' or 'B', no taunting this Dark Lord, bro. :uhoh:
The only thing I don't like about the above photos is the dude holding it out like that. I HATE THAT...makes the fish look that much larger. THe fish is still nice though, not his fault.
Personally I like this fish...
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2377&stc=1
Very true, the fish appears to be bigger than it truly is. But it definitely is big and is one of my favourites, just look at that, it looks amazing, with perfect mass, hard and strong head, those powerful jaws, those razor sharp teeth, with haunting eyes, and that colouration, the colouration on top of its body seems to be in gold colour followed by the pure black stripes and lines and spots, so black until it appears to be on top of its body or the gold colouration and its tail is definitely powerful for an exellent hunting speed followed by its fins for unbelievable control. An amazing hunter.
RAYMAN has a beautie snakehead he's got some video footage of it too check it out in the video gallery !
Oh yes I watched those two videos, Snakehead vs Feeder Goldfish and Snakehead vs Red Devil. Actually that is the reason how I got here, I was browing this forum called Piranha Fury and was reading threads about the Giant Snakehead and there was this member who posted a link to Rayman's Snakehead videos, I am unsure if he was Rayman himself. I came here to watch it but found out that I could not do it without registering and then found out I needed to make at least 5 posts to be a MFK member which is when I would be able to see pictures and watch the videos. I thought I would just post a thread and this is it and leave MFK after watching the videos but no..I like it here.:D
The videos were great, they were worth watching and they reminded me of the ones I had and I am really looking forward to getting them again, but Rayman's Giant Snakehead really needs a bigger tank. Snakeheads are also sensitive predators, some would become mad and break the glass tank or jump out to explore the environs which is in their nature to do so. But others, would just stay in the tank, growing bigger as the tank grows smaller for them and eventually their body would remain as how it remained in the tank, if it was bended in the tank, it is possible for it to remain in that posture. I have heard that happening. I believe it goes for other animals too, even humans and I believe Rayman obviously wouldn't go that far but still, keeping in such a tank could limit the Snakehead's true ability and nature. Below are some pictures of those who became victims of whom I consider as the T-Rex of the fresh water.
zhuangsw
08-10-2005, 9:53 AM
cool pics. as in the power of snake heads. haha.
but i prefer rays and aro over them..
in sg, our lfs sell baby giant snake heads as feeders. we get like aruond 15 of them(2inches) for $1.50 in a packet.
Taker
08-10-2005, 11:29 AM
OH MY GAWD!!! I had two of them a LONG time ago...They were only about 10" when We got rid of them...you can read the story in another post...lol...I never imagined they got that big! We got them because we thought snakeheads were cool....Now we know better...Mean suckers!
Lol they certainly do, many buy the Giant Snakehead because they look so adorable as juveniles but just have no idea what they have trully gotten lol.:D
But you can see a Giant Snakehead's aggressiveness since an early age, mine would eat until their bellies were swollen and could no longer move, just like snakes do, especially phytons and anacondas. And when it begins to grow, that is when it shocks its owners making him realize what a fish it truly is, the top predator of the fresh water. They eventually sell it or just dump it in the lakes which isn't a good idea if the lake isn't where Snakeheads belong.
Most aquarium store owners advice the buyers who come to buy Snakeheads, especially the Giant Snakehead since it is the most largest and aggressive of all Channa species. Even those who know about it does not mean can take care of this vicious predator. My parents are a good example, my uncle who is my mother's older brother used to own a Giant Snakehead and so we all knew about this fish. But still my parents could not tolerate this fish and forced me to take them out. But as you can see, Giant Snakeheads are also beautiful, and they come in interesting colours and patterns, some are in golden colour or yellow, some in orange or brown, some are just black and gray in colour, and some in purplish, reddish, greenish or just a mix of all these colours.
Taker
08-10-2005, 11:45 AM
cool pics. as in the power of snake heads. haha.
but i prefer rays and aro over them..
in sg, our lfs sell baby giant snake heads as feeders. we get like aruond 15 of them(2inches) for $1.50 in a packet.
:eek: nooooooooo! as a Giant Snakehead fan, that is such a sad sad news. :shakehead
I have had an Arowana for five years before it died due to the dirty tank water, everyone was so busy and just before I wanted to clean it, I found it dead in the morning, and that was it, I lost my interest in having another fish since then. Asian Arowana is my second favourite fish. Now I am going back to Giant Snakeheads:D.....Giant Snakeheads being sold a feeders!:(
Yes, his Giant Snakehead looks great, I am looking forward to more of his Snakehead videos if he is going to take more. Below is another picture of his Giant Snakehead which was posted on the Piranha Fury forum. I am not sure if the picture is here.
Giant Snakeheads racing. Go! go! Snakeheads!:D
rayman45
08-14-2005, 10:29 PM
Yes, his Giant Snakehead looks great, I am looking forward to more of his Snakehead videos if he is going to take more. Below is another picture of his Giant Snakehead which was posted on the Piranha Fury forum. I am not sure if the picture is here.
my pic :p
DeLgAdO
08-14-2005, 10:34 PM
Giant Snakeheads racing. Go! go! Snakeheads!:D
:eek: Are they actually walking out of the water????????
piranha45
08-15-2005, 12:20 AM
:eek: Are they actually walking out of the water????????
yes. they can traverse land when needed.
my pic :p
That's right Rayman, an excellent one, how is your Giant Snakehead doing? How big is he/she now? Getting more videos?:D
:eek: Are they actually walking out of the water????????
They are obviously being put there and if you look at the first Giant Snakehead's pectoral fin, the way it has positioned it, you can see that it is using it to move or 'walk' as you can call it. They look so adorable.:D And below is one of my favourite Giant Snakehead pictures, beautiful they are!
Good read regarding the Giant Snakehead.:D
Feeding habits: Primarily a daytime feeder (Ng and Lim, 1990). Accounts of this species almost invariably describe it as a vicious predator on other fishes. Adult and perhaps subadult Channa micropeltes feed in packs, usually in midwaters or near the surface. Parents guard their eggs and young, and are reported to have attacked humans that approached a nest (Smith, 1945; Lee and Ng, 1991). Kottelat and others (1993) stated that anglers and swimmers who got too close to young were attacked, some seriously wounded, and that there have been fatalities. The report of fatalities was from local fisheries officials (Maurice Kottelat, personal commun., 2003).
Peter Ng (personal commun., 2002) commented that he knew of one instance where a man was nearly castrated by an attacking giant snakehead. Prey includes other fishes, frogs, and birds (Lee and Ng, 1994). Lee and Ng (1991) commented that authorities at the Singapore Botanic Gardens planned to remove C. micropeltes from ponds at that facility because this snakehead was feeding on cygnets. Ng and Lim (1990) referred to this species as the “most ravenous” of snakeheads, and they, Mohsin and Ambak (1983), and Roberts (1989) noted that it is known to kill more fishes than it consumes in its natural habitat.
Ng and Lim (1990) described the enlarged canine teeth of C. micropeltes as being knifelike, “with two cutting edges in crosssection,” the edges arranged perpendicular to the body axis. This allows shearing of prey.
An excellent species, what a strong looking Giant Snakehead and look at that powerful tail.
rayman45
08-15-2005, 9:09 PM
That's right Rayman, an excellent one, how is your Giant Snakehead doing? How big is he/she now? Getting more videos?:D
got one
ill send to LI soon.
he is getting fatter
got one
ill send to LI soon.
he is getting fatter
That's awesome, how old and big is he now? And I am looking forward for the new video. Thank you.
An awesome picture, love the greenish colouration on its body that suits the green algae of the glass tank, looking wild.
A beautiful couple and love the decoration of the tank.
rayman45
08-15-2005, 10:59 PM
ok stop please
you tourching me.
mine is almost 2 years old
and about 33"
but since i got it he has gained girth
Ha ha, I will try not to:D. That's good about your Giant Snakehead. A Giant Snakehead's lifespan is from 10 to 15 years, who knows it could live longer. As much as I know, a German Shepherd dog lives that long. So this predator is truly a pet or is like apart of the family than just a fish in a glass tank. I truly miss having Giant Snakeheads, I can't wait to have them again.
I miss them making a mess all over the tank, I miss them not being able to accept a single fish swimming in the tank and must eat it until their bellies are swollen, I miss that everybody would want to watch them feed, I miss seeing them doing the alligator death role, I miss seeing the blood and scales of the feeder fish all over the water once they are done feeding, I miss the heart racing just not knowing what they are going to do this time when cleaning the tank, I miss them jumping like almost six feet away and slither quickly right under the couch as soon as they land, I miss their powerful wiggle in the fishnet knocking on the complete news paper closing on them demanding release that drives you crazy, and that frustration on my mom's face knowing what she has to go through helping me do it, I miss realizing that I then have had a shower, I miss them following my finger and fist through the glass tank, the faster I moved my finger and fist, the faster they moved their heads, I miss watching their eyes looking straight at you and keep watching you and are aware of their environment. Wow and the list goes on, Giant Snakehead, you are magnificent. :thumbsup:
Does anybody know how to identify Giant Snakeheads' sexes? This is confusing to me since I have read that a female Giant Snakehead would be lighter in colour compared to the male. Some even said that the female would be larger than the male, but I believe this is so because it is not unusual to see a 6 inches male with an 8 or 9 inches female.
What confuses me is that, it is also said that in alkaline water, Giant Snakeheads tend to be pale or light in colour unlike in the acidic water, where their colours would be very bright and strong. So this clashes with the identifying their sexes, unless you find the differences in the same type of water. Jean Francois Helias, the angler who is holding the Giant Snakeheads is a famous angler in Thailand and is known as ' Lung Fang' meaning Uncle Fang by the local people, told his tale of Giant Snakehead fishing, once he mentioned catching the females, the males but he did not describe which one is and how to identify them.
An angry, fierce looking Giant Snakehead. Its looks suit its temperament.
These are pale looking Giant Snakeheads, are these two below supposed to be females? Or was it due to the water being alkaline?
rayman45
08-18-2005, 8:58 PM
STRESSED
mine gets like that when i scare him by turning the lights on in the middle of the night
Well, let's just give the predator a kiss:D
STRESSED
mine gets like that when i scare him by turning the lights on in the middle of the night
Ohh! wow I have not heard this one yet, thank you so much Rayman. So that happens when it gets stressed, scared, or maybe we can say annoyed too? Lol, But tell me Rayman, how do you know your Giant Snakehead is a male since you have been calling it a 'he'? And thank you again! that was very informative. :thumbsup:
Another interesting read about the Giant Snakehead. :thumbsup:
The Latest Tropical Fishing Challenge
Here in Thailand the Pla Shado or Giant snakehead fish has a legendary strength .
We are speaking about one of nature’s mistake, a fish that should not be found in freshwater,
in fact his nickname in Thai is: “chalam nam tcheud” meaning: ”freshwater shark”.
What about his lifestyle?
Breaks rods, stretches hooks, cuts 40lbs braided wires and finally tries to bite you when practicing catch and release you take the hook off his mouth.
Powerful caudal and dorsal fins allow a mouth fully equipped to slash his preys on the strike.
The Giant snakehead attack is breath taking. When caught, he will dive deeply and rush to the nearest weedy spot then you will need all your skills to boat him.
Those qualities makes him the sport fish most search after in South east Asia.
Fly fishing for Giant Snakehead is not an easy game. Caught only by few fly fishers from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand
the fish own the reputation of almost impossible to catch on the fly.
Why?
Because, sight casting is difficult as the fish like to ambush in deep water among weeds waiting for fish to pass at his level or other preys on the surface of water.
Streamers and others baitfish patterns are difficult to bring into play considering the dense vegetation.
Therefore the use of poppers looks appropriate but the Giant Snakehead is very smart and most of the time he will follow the popper for few feet without striking it.
We know that the fish have strong sense of smell and are often caught with chicken intestine or baby mice.
Most of our catches happened on early morning and late afternoon when the weather was cooler and in low light conditions.
During spawning Giant snakeheads form couples to guard the nest then fingerlings. At this time of the year, for the period of the monsoon
(June to August), Giant Snakeheads are very aggressive and provide a great opportunity for fly fishermen to encounter the stunning predator.
Fly fishing for Giant Snakehead should be reserved to experienced fly fishermen willing to catch a fish of exception and to spend the time for it.
Lack of enthusiasm?
Keep in mind that there are far less Giant Snakehead caught on the fly than Permit!
PLA SHADO (Channa micropeltes) or GIANT SNAKEHEAD
The giant snakehead is the largest representative of the widespread snakehead genus Channa (formerly Ophicephalus). This extremely popular sport fish is avidly pursued in several Asian countries. There are tales of giant snakehead growing to absurd sizes and attacking and eating humans, but there is no scientific evidence of any such monsters and such tales should be treated as mythology. Fish have been recorded at over 35 kg, although fish over 15 kg are rare. Large snakeheads are solitary fish, which inhabit snags and heavily weeded areas. Submerged trees make an ideal home for an adult fish.They will remain under cover for most of the day, emerging only to feed and rarely swimming in mid-water. Like all snakeheads, they are predators, living on small baitfish and frogs, which are taken in one gulp. But with their sharp teeth and powerful jaws, the big snakeheads are capable of immobilizing large prey.
The Shado is Thailand’s equivalent of the European pike or the American muskellunge. It strikes viciously at lures, even crushes them. This is tug-of-war fishing, with the Shado frequently ending up the victor! Its predatory habits are legendary. Just like the pike, the Shado is a stalker, armed with a row of vicious teeth. It is a glutton, feeding to the point of regurgitation. The Giant Snakehead can eat any animal, including baby ducks and fallen birds! Hence it grows fast and big. It can grow very large indeed. The biggest Giant Snakehead ever caught so far at the Khao Laem dam was weighting 22 kg. It was not caught with a rod and line but by a local fisherman using a rope tied to a tree. The bait was a live Jungle Perch of a kilo. Much smaller ones can be a handful on 30 lb. tackle.
Love the colours of these Giant Snakeheads!
rayman45
08-21-2005, 9:49 AM
Ohh! wow I have not heard this one yet, thank you so much Rayman. So that happens when it gets stressed, scared, or maybe we can say annoyed too? Lol, But tell me Rayman, how do you know your Giant Snakehead is a male since you have been calling it a 'he'? And thank you again! that was very informative. :thumbsup:
same way i sex my dwarf sh.
let me find the pics and get back to you
rayman45
08-21-2005, 9:56 AM
http://snakeheads.org/images/specAssam/cSpecAssamDifferentSexes300dpi075.jpg
A couple of C. spec. Assam. Left hand the male with its broader head and its more colorful dorsal fin. Right hand, the female whose head is not so broad but its belly.
rayman45
08-21-2005, 9:56 AM
my red looks like the one on the left
sohfatfish
08-21-2005, 1:05 PM
I used to rear one of these and they ate alot. Very majestic creatures, but too bad my walking catfish killed it.
Taker
08-21-2005, 11:45 PM
Rayman, very interesting. Thank you so much, I have learned one more thing from you. That is amazing, the male with the larger head and snake-like body and the female with a head not so large as the male but with a large belly. The female looks more like a fish than the male. So that probably is the way of identifying the sexes of the Giant Snakehead as well. I will try to get more informations on this. What I am thinking is, if I am buying juvenile Giant Snakeheads which I will, how do I identify their sexes at such an early age? Hmm..that seems too tough. Unless the male still has the larger head and the female with her larger belly from an early age and if these characteristics do apply to Giant Snakeheads also which I think they probably should. Below are pictures of your Giant Snakehead from an above view. I feel like he is a male too, lol playing with him with a coke bottle?:D
rayman45
08-21-2005, 11:51 PM
yes
i think mine is a male
i would like to get a nice sized tank and try to breed.
but i would have to cover tank b.c. of aggressiveness.
are you inside the usa?
shekes
08-22-2005, 12:58 AM
I did some research:
They crawl out of water to hunt frogs and stuff. One specie crawls out, waits unti covered with ants, crawls back in and eats the ants.
I am trying to find out wheter or no they are legal/available in Argentina. One site listed states where they are illegal and arizona was not on it. I don't know much about Arizona but I thin it is due to the fact that there simply is not much water. Thus, even they happen to get into one lake they probably still can't cross the desert to the next.
I did some research:
They crawl out of water to hunt frogs and stuff. One specie crawls out, waits unti covered with ants, crawls back in and eats the ants.
I am trying to find out wheter or no they are legal/available in Argentina. One site listed states where they are illegal and arizona was not on it. I don't know much about Arizona but I thin it is due to the fact that there simply is not much water. Thus, even they happen to get into one lake they probably still can't cross the desert to the next.
*Smiles* yes, very true, it does that, I have read this one as I was going through articles regarding Snakeheads, but I have totally forgotten the crawling out, waiting to be covered with ants and then crawling back in to eat the ants. Lol that makes me want to laugh, how funny and yet so smart in its own way, what a smart ass, what a criminal, how evil haha. Thank you so much for posting this Shekes, it makes it so much better.
And you are definitely right about Arizona, still I don't think they would risk the lakes and rivers that there are. I had seen a list of states prohibiting snakeheads, and Arizona was one of them, but that is an old list, this law has been changing. Like New Jersey was not one of them, but now I seem it is.
Shekes, if you want to have Giant Snakeheads, and you want to have the best out of them, you give them a tank for them alone. Many mix this predator with a bunch of other fish since they want to have tank mates, and the other fishes are always as big as the Giant Snakehead or bigger and a lot bigger. It is possible to not get the true Giant Snakehead whom I consider as the T-Rex of the fresh water. And like the Great White Shark among sharks, Giant Snakehead is the Great One among all Channa species. So when aquarist do this, the out come can be different than what some would want to espect from such a predator from all that they have heard, hence it becomes a disappointment. ( Unless this is the Giant Snakehead that you want )
Some Giant Snakeheads get killed, some do not seem to be as aggressive as they would be. But some, still remain the King that they are when they eat one after another as they out grow the tank ( so you cannot really trust them, it is designed to hunt and kill and it will ). It is like growing a Lion cub among humans, definitely you can see the difference compared to a Lion caught in the wild. I rather give the predator the life it would have if it was in the wild as much as I am able to and to me, this is the respect that I am to give to an animal as its owner, caretaker, friend or our family member, because I want to see the Giant Snakehead :thumbsup: . To me it is not a mere pet, it is adopting, it is life, just like we love to live our lives our way without missing what we want to or could experience, they should be given the same respect. We humans who rule and control the world realize this, a little poor baby Giant Snakehead in a fish pet shop does not, let it know.
Of course, when it comes to a Lion, you don't want to do this :grinno: it is just about what you want to espect from your loving animal, as long as you do not hurt or abuse without knowing, I choose this way, not to add anything, but to just let them be as how they usually would be, and give them what they need and from there teach new things, add love if possible, as wild as it can be, I sure would love my Giant Snakehead fishes to recognize me, to even at least..if possible..take food from my hand, or let me touch it, carress the top of its body ( at a young age:D ). Because I have heard enough of stories of people losing their fingers to Giant Snakeheads for putting their hands into the tank. :(
C. Barca crawls out of the water to catch cockroaches.
Interesting beasties :)
jenBLKAROWANA
08-22-2005, 10:58 AM
I have already said this on the other thread but it deserves to be said here. As I had mentioned, after reading this thread and looking at these pictures, I have got to know that the Snakeheads we got were this aggressive predator! so we got them because we thought they were a cool fish...kind of jumped on the band wagon! lol So anyway, they were getting big fast, and we decided to get rid of them...They were about 10". I had gotten some fish bags from my lfs and thought, this would be really easy....We were in for a BIG supprise! I netted the first one and put it in the bag, it immediatly attacked the side of the bag, clamped on to it, and did an alligator death roll...lol...it tore a huge hole in the side of the bag! I could not believe it and I was laughing so hard, I did not notice it jumping out of the tank to attack my boyfriend! He jumped back and we threw a towel on it, picked it up and threw it back into the tank...WOW what an experiance! We put them into a 5 gal bucket, and took the back to the store. I never wanted another snake head again!
rayman45
08-22-2005, 11:19 AM
I LOVE Channa Micropeltes
phully- that pics looks almost like mine as far as the pattern
rayman45
08-22-2005, 11:44 AM
Another thing is
maybe once every 2 -3 weeks
my red sh ''sheds''
he peels off a thin layer of skin from nose to tail?
i think its more of his slime coat
PhullTank57
08-22-2005, 3:44 PM
phully- that pics looks almost like mine as far as the pattern
That one belonged to a friend of mine... think it was a lil' over the 2ft. mark. Had a really nice blue sheen on it's body... Beautiful animal! :bling: God bless the dead, now!:rip :(
barca are defantly cool...
but i love the how mean and how much mass they have
Yeah! I know what you mean, rayman... so do I! :thumbsup:
so how about this guy,,, looks to be half as MEAN as a red, at least?.. No?!! :SaiyanSmi :redface: :thumbsup:
piranha45
08-22-2005, 3:45 PM
I've read that redtailed catfish "shed" as well, when under stress. I imagine its the same in your case.
Ok time's up, looks like this has gone a little off-topic, back to All About The Giant Snakehead only:D. But I will definitely respond, and then we can go back to the topic :thumbsup:. And below are pictures of young Giant Snakeheads.
Taker
08-22-2005, 10:01 PM
Ahh yes,,, love the Raging Redlines... but, love the Beauty of the Barcas even more!! :hearts: :bling:
(In no way do I mean to disrespect Channa Micropeltes, or offend any 'Giant Snakehead' Keepers out there... Much respect goes to the Mighty Micropeltes!) :headbang2
Exactly! and thank you for those beautiful Giant Snakehead pictures, and the Channa Barca looks amazing. I don't know why I am getting this feeling that the Giant Snakehead in the first picture is a female, the one in the glass tank, I could be wrong. And correct me if I am wrong, it is dead? What happened? And here comes more jaws!
Taker
08-22-2005, 11:04 PM
I have already said this on the other thread but it deserves to be said here. As I had mentioned, after reading this thread and looking at these pictures, I have got to know that the Snakeheads we got were this aggressive predator! so we got them because we thought they were a cool fish...kind of jumped on the band wagon! lol So anyway, they were getting big fast, and we decided to get rid of them...They were about 10". I had gotten some fish bags from my lfs and thought, this would be really easy....We were in for a BIG supprise! I netted the first one and put it in the bag, it immediatly attacked the side of the bag, clamped on to it, and did an alligator death roll...lol...it tore a huge hole in the side of the bag! I could not believe it and I was laughing so hard, I did not notice it jumping out of the tank to attack my boyfriend! He jumped back and we threw a towel on it, picked it up and threw it back into the tank...WOW what an experiance! We put them into a 5 gal bucket, and took the back to the store. I never wanted another snake head again!
Jen, thank you so much for telling your experience with the Giant Snakehead here, that adds a lot to this thread. They seemed to have gone totally wild, glad it missed striking your boyfriend, looks like they were very mad. Taking them out of the tank is going through a war with them. That's why fishing the Giant Snakehead is called hunting or battling, but not fishing, it becomes an extreme, intense battle. And I miss the alligator death role that they do, they look extremely wild, vicious and crazy when they do that. You did have an amazing experience, I never heard of anyone having such an experience with this predator. Thank you again! :)
Taker
08-22-2005, 11:30 PM
Another thing is
maybe once every 2 -3 weeks
my red sh ''sheds''
he peels off a thin layer of skin from nose to tail?
i think its more of his slime coat
Really? I have not heard of this one nor had I seen my Giant Snakeheads doing so. Maybe they weren't old enough? I read a thread about this predator where a guy was asking why his Giant Snakehead's skin seemed to be peeling off. He was worried if it was a desease or if there was something wrong with the tank water. But the Giant Snakehead's tank mate was fine, and even when it was so with the Giant Snakehead, its behaviour was fine as usual.
If the Giant Snakehead does this, wow the more it is like a snake besides forcing its prey into its mouth like a Phyton or an Anaconda, stretching and bending its body after taking a large prey, breaking its bones so it becomes as small as it can be in its body, striking its prey out of water in an extreme speed like a snake does, walking out of water or slithering like I had seen mine doing. That is all I can think of for now..they could be more.
Taker
08-23-2005, 12:00 AM
i would love one of those!
i would love to own every kind of sh i can get my hands on.
but not anytime soon :(
That would be a wonderful experience, Rayman. These Channa Barca below look beautiful, such a rare species, amazing and unique they are.
PhullTank57
08-23-2005, 5:55 AM
First pic is "TRUE" Channa barca... other pics are of Channa aurantimaculata, which was mistaken for C. barca for quite some time. :) Nevertheless, both are beautiful animals! :headbang2
First pic is "TRUE" Channa barca... other pics are of Channa aurantimaculata, which was mistaken for C. barca for quite some time. :) Nevertheless, both are beautiful animals! :headbang2
You are damn right, that is exactly what was written below the first picture, but then I was confused to see the following pictures were named Channa Barca also, so Aurantimaculata were mistaken to be Channa Barca. Yes, the rest are all Channa Aurantimaculata, sorry for my mistake and no doubt they are both very beautiful and are unique animals! :thumbsup:
Now, as said we get back to the topic, this picture below is said to be a female mother Giant Snakehead with its typical white stripes. Ah, looks like we have found something new about the sexes of the Giant Snakehead.
So, this Giant Snakehead below is supposed to be a female. And look at that swollen belly, most probably was about to pass on its legacy.
More to read about the Giant Snakehead. :thumbsup:
*When snakeheads mate, they are usually monogamous for an entire breeding season, and perhaps throughout their lifetimes.
*Parent snakeheads guard their young vigorously. Channa Micropeltes, reportedly attacked, and in some instances killed, humans who approached the mass of young.
*Spawning Giant Snakeheads have a fascinating behavior pattern. The adults guard the balls of blood red fry and push them, at intervals, to the surface to breath air. Spotting a ball of surfacing fry, following, and then casting to them can be an exciting contest. Of course we are not trying to catch fry. We are trying to catch the guards.
*Angling for the Giant Snakehead when the unique opportunity of the fish’s parental behavior while protecting it’s young presents itself is far above any other kind of fishing the most exciting of all.
*At the very moment I am writing these lines, I can see in my mind the whole scenario of a Giant Snakehead striking at a lure on top water. Bang! What a sublime visual treat is that all of a sudden explosion coming out of nowhere, that shotgun kind of sound going with it! There is absolutely nothing to be compared to that few seconds instant of a Giant Snakehead’s strike. It is the Snakehead in its all splendor as a unique true warrior of the deep, as a “go for the kill” hitman who doesn’t know the meaning of fear. That strike is my ultimate kick, my brain orgasm, everything making my life worth living as an angler. The fight that will follow is secondary; it has almost no importance to me. The size of the fish, big or small, doesn’t matter either. To make it bite and to experience its attack is only what matters. The most difficult the challenge, the better!
And more pictures! the Giant Snakehead in the first picture has such a strong colour and pattern, it looks so fresh and healthy.
And more to read! :thumbsup:
*To hook up a mother Giant Snakehead escorting her ball of baby fry might sounds kind of cruel for non-angling people who call themselves animal lovers. Too often animal lovers don’t have a single clue about the true reality and the cruelty of the water world and its inhabitants. The Giant snakehead is a predator fish that maims or kills anything crossing its territory. It is a behavior deep down in its genes unlike any other predator fish species.
*I'm a true snakehead lover and I see a benefit in hooking a parent snakehead as long as the fish is released safely next to its young. In fact in the particular context of Thailand where catch and release is just starting to be practiced by by local anglers, I feel I am almost saving a fish’s life each time I hook one of them. The fish learned a lesson about it. Once released, more cautious and prudent, it won’t bite again that easily for a while. The next local angler who will find that snakehead with its ball of fry will have to be very skilful to make it bite again. An almost certain death then is avoided...
*A parent snakehead caught and kept by a fellow local angler for food is in fact what really breaks my heart. Is that so difficult to some to understand the fact that a parent snakehead caught but returned to the water means some of its thousands babies will stay alive and growing up later will became adults perpetuating the species and our good fishing at the same time? A single dead parent snakehead means thousands less fish in a reservoir in the following years. It is so evident. Mother Nature could be compared to a bank account. It works in a similar way. If you withdraw too often and too much from it, sooner or later you won’t have much left; some of these days maybe almost nothing left at all. Our waters are a bank account that all of us anglers are sharing together. It is mine. It is yours. Catching but releasing is like borrowing money and returning it next so later others can use some too.
After spawning, both the male and female parents can be found escorting and protecting their balls of fry, “luk krok” as they are called in the Thai language. That ball of fry will continue to remain in a tight school for several months before separating and becoming totally self-sufficient. When first born, the baby snakeheads are black in color, they then turn bright red and become more visible. The shimmering, darting mass of baby fish appears as an underwater shadow, changing shape and direction while guided by the parents. The “luk krok” (Thai name for the ball of fry) varies in size from about 0.5 to 1.5 square meters and moves vertically and horizontally. Occasionally, when sensing danger, the parents will split the ball apart and then reform. They eventually rise to the surface in what appears to be a sudden, very isolated rainstorm hitting the water. This periodic revelation of presence sets the stage for some exciting action.
Taker
08-23-2005, 10:01 AM
Thailand's breathtaking jungle waters, a true fishing paradise for Snakehead hunters.
PhullTank57
08-23-2005, 2:52 PM
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3339&stc=1
what are those sticking out of the water... bamboo?
Taker
08-23-2005, 10:45 PM
Yes, just random sticks and they make it look wilder, just amazing. Below is by a Giant Snakehead owner from the United Kingdom with beautiful pictures, and what he says is no doubt adding a lot more to this thread. :thumbsup:
Tropical fish 10-12"inch Giant Red Snakehead.
Description: I am selling my Red Snakehead.
He is big and thick and will do more growing yet!!
i will only sell to UK public (as banned in many countries).
He will eat almost anything!! including his owner!! and is fearless!!!
I mean fearless!! when you put your hand in he will not flinch!! in fact to move him you would have to hit him (at your own risk of course).
He has shared a tank with 9 large piranhas for the last 2 months and controls half!
read up about them and make sure what you are getting into.
I love him but can't buy a bigger tank until I move which at the moment is unknown.
Sensible offers please.
If you look carefull in pic 2 you can see him top right.
Contact Information
Advertiser: d dawson
Telephone: 01638663189
City: newmarket
County: suffolk
Taker
08-24-2005, 12:22 AM
Excellent!
Common name: Giant Snakehead
Family: Channidae
Order: Perciformes
Class: Actinopterygii
Maximum size: 150 cm / 60 inches / 5 feet
Environment: freshwater
Origin: Channa micropeltes (Giant Snakehead) is found near the coast of India, Thailand, Mekong basin of Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Southeastern Sumatra
Temperament: Aggressive and predatory.
Company: Channa micropeltes (Giant Snakehead) should not be kept with smaller species.
Water parameters: Temperature 22-28C / 72-82 F; pH 6-7.5
Aquarium setup: Channa micropeltes (Giant Snakehead) is as adult only suitable for large ponds, The aquarium or pond should be decorated with open areas and hiding places. There should be several planted areas available. They need surface access to survive.
Feeding: Channa micropeltes (Giant Snakehead) accept most large meaty food types.
Breeding: Channa micropeltes (Giant Snakehead) build a nest in among plants by clearing an area. The eggs float up to the surface where they are guarded by both parents. The parents guard both eggs and fry.
This is very interesting and will be very informative for new Giant Snakehead keepers.
The Giant / Red snakehead, Channa micropeltes
Many a fishkeeper has unwittingly introduced this month’s featured fish into the aquarium as a colourful youngster - but the bright colour fades as the fish grows... and grows. RICHARD HARDWICK of Wharf Aquatics explains why the Red snakehead should be handled with the utmost of care...
The Red Snakehead originates from Asia including India, Thailand, Burma and Malaysia. It inhabits rivers, lakes and swamps and can survive drought when oxygen levels are low. This is done with the use of an accessory breathing organ that enables it to take in atmospheric air.
Red snakeheads are extremely desirable particularly when young, displaying vivid colouration with red being the most dominant. However, this gives way to more subdued shades of colour, but it is still a striking fish.
These fish are victims of the all-too-familiar Red tail catfish syndrome: people just cannot resist that cute little fellow. As a result, the fish are bought from dealers who don’t know the eventual sizes, or by people who are ignorant as to the long-term well-being of this species.
This fish can reach 90cm/36” or more, even in the aquarium, so they need spacious accommodation and excellent filtration. I would use large, external bucket filters because being piscivores (see fact file), they can be rather messy feeders.
A steady flow back to the tank is best as snakeheads use their auxilliary air-breathing organs to obtain some oxygen. Ensure there is a good gap between the covers and the water’s surface or the fish will drown.
Twice weekly water changes of 25% are beneficial. This is due
to the food they consume,
which is very rich in protein.
Take care...
Red snakeheads are best kept singly when adult unless they can be provided with aquaria in excess of 2270l./500 gal. Make no bones about it - this fish can inflict serious injury not only to other fish, but also to its keeper. It’s probably one of the most dangerous oddballs one could wish to keep in an aquarium.
Some people do keep the snakehead with other fish; all I would say to them is to keep a close eye on the situation as this fish rarely takes prisoners...
If someone came into our shop asking for the freshwater equivalent of a great white shark, the Red snakehead would be for them. With its dark top, white underside, temperament and fine set of teeth, who would argue...?
But this really is a fish for experienced fishkeepers only.
Continues...
Fact File
The Red snakehead
Channa (Ophicephalus) micropeltes
Size: This fish can grow to over 90cm/36” - even under captive conditions.
Guide price: Prices start at around £6 for a juvenile and £40-50 for a 30-38cm (12-15”) specimen.
Aquarium care: Because this fish will reach its full potential in captivity, I would suggest a tank size of 180 x 90 x 60cm (6’ x 3’ x 2’) as a minimum, although I would start them off in aquaria much smaller than this during the growing-on process because it is easier to offer food.
The best tank set-up would include some surface cover in the way of floating plants to give it a sense of security. Other plants would be beneficial, but anchoring them can prove difficult with such a large fish parading around.
Fine gravel makes the ideal substrate as anything lighter such as sand will end up being suspended in the water by the movements of such a monster. This will in turn block most filter systems.Standard aquarium lighting will suffice.
Water parameters: These fish like slightly warmer water than many tropical fish at around 26-27°C/78-82°F.
General hardness and pH values are
not critical - just avoid extremes.
Diet: This fish is a true piscivore, devouring large amounts of fish as well as the occasional water vole that passes by. However, they do not require live fishes in their diets, readily accepting sprats, mussels, large earthworms and chunks of beef heart from the butcher.
Young snakeheads need feeding on a daily basis while they are growing, but once they reach 45-90cm/18-24”, two feeds a week will do fine.
Fully grown fish should be fed using forceps to prevent injury - to the human.
Breeding: Little is known about breeding behaviour, but they are said to be fiercely protective of their young, even to the point of attacking humans who so much as dare to invade their space.
Richard Hardwick (published online: 11.04.02) 665 words, 6234 hits
Taker
08-26-2005, 12:24 AM
Damn right they do :D . And I have a great news for Snakehead lovers! I have found Helias, Jean-Francois' contact, the FishBase Collaborator of Thailand. He is the master angler that people talk about, you can see his pictures with the Giant Snakeheads especially in the first page and some of the articles posted here are by him. What I am going to do now is contact him and learn more about the most largest and aggressive of all Channa species! the T-Rex of the fresh water! the legendary predator! the one and only! the Giant Snakehead! :D :thumbsup:
And that will be how to identify their sexes as well. I hope I get a reply though:( I will try my best to come with more interesting stories, facts and informations regarding the Channa Micropeltes! and for those who have experiences with this predator, please feel free to share them here, including pictures if you have, it will add a lot more to this thread! and any other informations and articles for our fellow forumers would be very much appreciated! :)
And Rayman, more pictures of your awesome Giant Snakehead here would be amazing! and when the new video comes out, let us know! :headbang2
Wow I Love these two Giant Snakeheads! they remind me of two vicious T-Rex! look at those eyes, those depressed heads, their shapes , the jaws, the size, and the shape of those bodies and their colours, killing machines they are!
sgland
08-29-2005, 10:12 AM
here's mine....they r about 11" :)
http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/512/dscf00811ua.jpg
http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/9044/dscf00820jy.jpg
http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/8572/dscf00946kd.jpg
sgland
08-29-2005, 7:00 PM
nice setup for these devils to be...
whats their diet at the moment?
i fed them shrimp, feeder catfish, swordtails and bullfrogs so far.
they bascially will wack anything that moves, they even chase after my remote control if i throw it across the room
sgland
08-30-2005, 7:45 PM
Shrimp as in live or dead?
Looks like placing your hand in the water for water change is a big no no :eek:
all alive and kicking.....hand in water is ok but not safe. they are as scare of me as i'm of them. they wouldn't do anything if they realised those fingers are part of me...but accidents can happen when they mistook fingers as something else.
IoStrisciare
08-30-2005, 9:50 PM
all alive and kicking.....hand in water is ok but not safe. they are as scare of me as i'm of them. they wouldn't do anything if they realised those fingers are part of me...but accidents can happen when they mistook fingers as something else.
safety first dude....
their bite is not something to be trifled with...
stotty
02-03-2007, 3:34 AM
The holder of over 170 IGFA world fishing records, retired medical doctor Martin Arostegui, Coral Gables, Florida USA continues his global journeys for more records. While fishing in Perak Malaysia, Arostegui landed a snakehead (Channa micropeltes) weighing 5.40 kg (11 lb 14 oz) on 20 lb line class. The current line class record is 9 lb 9 oz caught Sept. 10, of last year. Arostegui caught his first record snakehead, at 6 lbs on two lb line class in the southern Florida waters of Margate, Oct. 10, 2004.
Martin Arostegui, a retired doctor, is only the third person to set over 100 world records as an angler.
yewjin87
03-31-2007, 3:27 PM
thanks man!...this is one of my fav pic...the color is just amazing!
yewjin87
03-31-2007, 3:34 PM
somemore pics.....Micahhaseman, go get one now!!!:drool: ..do they have SH in Ohio?
vinson lim
04-01-2007, 2:21 AM
yewjin, where the hell u got this pic? haha, if im not mistaken, its frm XIANG LONG aquarium frm SHah Alam right...? i've been there once, u went today...?
Sarcosuchus
04-01-2007, 5:14 AM
:eek: :eek: lol that's me when looked at those pictures! What beautiful Tomans / Giant Snakeheads!:headbang2 *bows down* Especially the one in the first picture, great pattern and colouration, love the face too!
So these are the ones in Shah Alam? My cousin brother told me about the Tomans there, got to go and see! thanks a lot for sharing these pictures Yewjin and once again welcome to MFK!
Saved the pictures, magnificent! how old are they? 10 years? What about your personaly collection? I really thought these are until Vinson stated about Shah Alam...of course you can't have those in a 3 feet tank can ya!:eek: lol how big were those Tomans? Have you seen the ones in Ampang? Those were like 3 feet!
yewjin87
04-01-2007, 5:39 AM
Ampang?... which part?...maybe i can go check it out one day:) ... the ones in shah alam is around 3.5 feet man and yeah i think it's around ten years of age... its deffinately from the wild... can never be this big in captive....and yes vinson, this is from XIANG LONG aquarium... there are other species of fish which is just as beautiful espeacially the arow's, there is one which cost like RM38,888? insane:WHOA: you guys wan me to post it up?... but first let me show you my SH...:D
khorxianjin
06-03-2007, 4:07 AM
some pic of my snakehead and tankmates. ^^
plausible
06-16-2007, 5:21 PM
heres another one about them
traditional chinese
giant snakehead & cordyceps & ginseng tonic
khorxianjin
06-28-2007, 12:42 AM
toman from xiang leng
bobVillanueva
10-17-2007, 5:27 AM
man, those are really whacked fishes! (in a good way!) though you really really have to pick their tankmates carefully (if you dare) coz it has the ability to kill almost any fish out there. hey, mine was able to massacre my gigacntic pleco! imagine those jaws ripping through the pleco's armored skin. but at the same time, i have managed to grow one with RTCs, knives, pacu oscars and a silver arowana... so.... perhaps it has to be luck of the draw! :/
channarox
12-14-2007, 8:11 AM
haha.
interesting read.
SHs were like my first preds.
red SHs.
they are currently residing in a pong.
theyre probably about 3 feet now.
heres a pic of them when they were just a foot long. :D
wally 666
01-04-2008, 8:08 PM
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd49/wally6-6-6/Picture008.jpg
scaartown
01-22-2008, 11:49 AM
Can you keep a giant sneakhead in a 55 gallon tank alone?
West1
01-22-2008, 12:09 PM
Can you keep a giant sneakhead in a 55 gallon tank alone?
I don't know much about snakeheads, but Giant snakeheads get pretty big. I believe "GIANT" is the key word. If you plan to keep him in a 55gl for a grow out tank, Sure why not. Just know they are going to get big before you know it
channarox
01-24-2008, 8:09 AM
its gonna grow out the 55 g in no time.
when an inch or so,they grow about 2-2.5 inches a mth till they hit 4 inches.
then growth is about 1.5 inches amth until 18 inches.
then slows to 0.5 to 1 inch per mth.
they get to 3 feet plus btw.
snakehead13
02-14-2008, 5:47 PM
wooooooooow !!this I have this Monster in my house and i didn't know it was this aggressive...i wonder why it dosn't tear the gold fish i give to it
mike II
02-16-2008, 1:48 PM
Hello all,
thank you for all the pretty pictures about your Ch. micropeltes and the tanks.
I do not like this fish at the fishing hook, it`s not my hobby.
The race on land with Channa is also something which I do not like.
Some years ago I have had 2 Channa micropeltes in a tank with 1000 litre and 2.6 Metres long. They do well together and when they grow up to 50cm I give them to a aquarian enthusiast, who love them and give a bigger tank to the 2 impresive giants.
Some month later one of them sping through the glas on the top of the aquarium and died. So we can learn, do not put any glas on the top of the tank, take plastic, and only take heavy things.
greetings from
Michael
channa-pl
02-16-2008, 4:43 PM
good advice mike
I think in future i change my glass to plestic-glass or CRISS-CROSS-i don't know how to say :(
can i keep a giant snakehead in a 6x2.5x2.5 ft tank all by itself ? Will it break the tank glass? 12mm .
channarox
02-27-2008, 7:19 AM
no...
they get to 3 feet...
khorxianjin
05-20-2008, 1:02 PM
pic3) Caught the whooper on catfish in tasik kenyir.fight wasnt that strong tho :irked:
Jakdarippa
06-02-2008, 3:10 PM
Interesting thread...Now back to the basics, I've noticed the issue of sexing came up before things went off topic. :irked: Someone mentioned that females have bigger bellies, another person said they exhibit white marking on the top. I would be interested to find out more on this .. :confused:
also there were pics posted of SH with Gator Gars.. :D i keep mine alone for the time being and had to mix and match my three tanks to find a workable combination. I now have 1 giant snake head all on its own which im planning to throw in my biggest tank (240 cm long by 80 cm wide) with 3 alli gars and a once badass flowerhorn (who is timid with the gars)...would this work once the SH grows to a suitable size? my third tank houses a giant gourmy and 2 cray fish..:nilly: (pics attached) any suggestions? advice?
PS. I promise to take better pics soon.
channarox
06-18-2008, 10:48 PM
Interesting thread...Now back to the basics, I've noticed the issue of sexing came up before things went off topic. :irked: Someone mentioned that females have bigger bellies, another person said they exhibit white marking on the top. I would be interested to find out more on this .. :confused:
also there were pics posted of SH with Gator Gars.. :D i keep mine alone for the time being and had to mix and match my three tanks to find a workable combination. I now have 1 giant snake head all on its own which im planning to throw in my biggest tank (240 cm long by 80 cm wide) with 3 alli gars and a once badass flowerhorn (who is timid with the gars)...would this work once the SH grows to a suitable size? my third tank houses a giant gourmy and 2 cray fish..:nilly: (pics attached) any suggestions? advice?
PS. I promise to take better pics soon.
probably.
since its only one SH he wont do much harm.
but i;d worry about the gators picking on the new guy.
holms
07-27-2008, 12:35 AM
awesome thread !
Giant Snakeheads are my favorite fish ever ,
simply love it for their ferocity and beauty ..
no other Species of Channa comes close to them imo .
had previously kept them before , fabulous monsters .
im getting another beauty soon enough ,
currently only keeping the Cobra Snakeheads . :drool:
glad to see so many fans of the Giant Toman here !
phen_dox
07-27-2008, 11:38 AM
Interesting thread...Now back to the basics, I've noticed the issue of sexing came up before things went off topic. :irked: Someone mentioned that females have bigger bellies, another person said they exhibit white marking on the top. I would be interested to find out more on this .. :confused:
also there were pics posted of SH with Gator Gars.. :D i keep mine alone for the time being and had to mix and match my three tanks to find a workable combination. I now have 1 giant snake head all on its own which im planning to throw in my biggest tank (240 cm long by 80 cm wide) with 3 alli gars and a once badass flowerhorn (who is timid with the gars)...would this work once the SH grows to a suitable size? my third tank houses a giant gourmy and 2 cray fish..:nilly: (pics attached) any suggestions? advice?
PS. I promise to take better pics soon.
you can put them together when they are in same size. nice gar!
gigas12
09-17-2008, 3:36 PM
They are awesome!
phen_dox
09-18-2008, 1:37 AM
here some pic of my 2ft++ giant snakehead before i release them to lake in rawang. hopefully thet gonna survive there :)
:D
phen_dox
09-18-2008, 1:45 AM
and some more picture from lfs in Shah Alam. :)
.
gigas12
09-30-2008, 3:25 PM
awesome fishes!
bobVillanueva
10-01-2008, 12:13 PM
Interesting thread...Now back to the basics, I've noticed the issue of sexing came up before things went off topic. :irked: Someone mentioned that females have bigger bellies, another person said they exhibit white marking on the top. I would be interested to find out more on this .. :confused:
also there were pics posted of SH with Gator Gars.. :D i keep mine alone for the time being and had to mix and match my three tanks to find a workable combination. I now have 1 giant snake head all on its own which im planning to throw in my biggest tank (240 cm long by 80 cm wide) with 3 alli gars and a once badass flowerhorn (who is timid with the gars)...would this work once the SH grows to a suitable size? my third tank houses a giant gourmy and 2 cray fish..:nilly: (pics attached) any suggestions? advice?
PS. I promise to take better pics soon.
SH and gators are extremely aggressive.... and they both pack a fatal bite...
its really dangerous man. i'd be pretty confident to say that the SH can if now will kill the FH as soon as it gets big enough... same goes to the GG.
now with the gators... man. i think it'll only take one tick. just one mistake that they will happen to take a shot a one another... and as i've said a while ago, they can kill each other with just one bit.. esp. the SH... i'm pretty sure they have thick scales. but man, these are the guys who wiggle after a bite... so i'd have to advise against it.
channarox
10-01-2008, 6:14 PM
SH and gators are extremely aggressive.... and they both pack a fatal bite...
its really dangerous man. i'd be pretty confident to say that the SH can if now will kill the FH as soon as it gets big enough... same goes to the GG.
now with the gators... man. i think it'll only take one tick. just one mistake that they will happen to take a shot a one another... and as i've said a while ago, they can kill each other with just one bit.. esp. the SH... i'm pretty sure they have thick scales. but man, these are the guys who wiggle after a bite... so i'd have to advise against it.
no way a SH can kill anything with one bite.
theyre grip isnt really strong.
they tend to bite then thrash around.
if the SH and gator ever fought,it'd be the SH im worrried about.
tropheus
10-02-2008, 6:13 AM
me too , a micro would just be a snack for a adult gator , and allough micros have some of the best teeth in channaland it would really struggle with a gator gar
skareb
11-30-2008, 1:42 AM
everytime I go to XianLeng I really feel like asking the boss, with all the fish at thier disposal why on earth do they display that 3 ugly toman??? Thats gotta be the worse interm of pattern and color.
intrxz
11-30-2008, 9:30 PM
u r rite bro..there r many nicer one out there...white belly, dark green metalic etc
Opiate
12-01-2008, 2:47 AM
brillaint pics ppl!! all have great micro's!! keep the pics comin