View Full Version : pikes and snakeheads
just wondering wat the differences are between these 2. THey seem so similar to me besides SH get bigger and are moe agressive and can breath air. Sorry if its a dumb post haha.
rumblesushi
10-07-2005, 5:04 AM
they are not remotely similar, not even vaguely related. A snakehead is a potentially 4 foot extreme predator with teeth, a pike cichlid is just a long cichlid.
rumblesushi
10-07-2005, 7:40 AM
Here are the differences :)
http://www.molluscan.com/fish/exploration3/pikecichlid1.jpg
http://www.wetpetz.com/images/cichlids/pikecichlid.jpg
http://www.snakeheads.org/images/micropeltes/cMicropeltes.JFHelias.10kg.00.300dpi075.jpg
http://www.piranha-fury.com/photopost/data/500/4091Photo-0010-med.jpg
driftwood
10-10-2005, 12:27 AM
i don't like the looks of that snakehead at all. looks like pure evil to me.
DeLgAdO
10-10-2005, 12:42 AM
i don't like the looks of that snakehead at all. looks like pure evil to me.
they are :grinyes:
rweedon
10-10-2005, 1:30 AM
The man has a point they do look very similar but you are right are not related whatsoever...
rumblesushi
10-10-2005, 5:36 AM
you could say any long fish looks similar. I would say a lungfish or a bichir looks more similar to a snakehead. I honestly don't see the similarity.
Oh and driftwood - they are pure evil. I've owned 2 snakeheads and they are hands down, no contest, the most evil and aggressive fish I've owned. Ruthless killers.
sgland
10-10-2005, 8:46 AM
well it's a predator fish, i don't expect it to look like mickey mouse. :D
DeLgAdO
10-10-2005, 10:24 AM
well it's a predator fish, i don't expect it to look like mickey mouse. :D
we expect it to EAT mickey mouse :grinyes:
joeytoe
10-10-2005, 11:30 AM
Both are Predatory in nature, SHs get bigger an are alot harder to come by. Pikes can be found in most LFS, an theres the obvious body an looks Differences.
wayne the pain
10-10-2005, 12:01 PM
Yes you can get big snakeheads but there are also dwarf ones adult at 4", that could be kept in a community tank. Not all snakeheads are aggressive killers, just got a bad reputation. ;)
Taz2478
10-10-2005, 2:51 PM
Snakeheads are illegal in some places. I had 2 that lasted about a week. LFS said nothing was wrong with my water so they let get somethin else. I was mad cause i found out they were Illegal to have here so of course now you cant even find them. They ate good those 2 weeks though.
they werent dark like those pics, more like a desert sand color with redish spots.
evilfish
10-11-2005, 12:01 PM
well that sounds healthy............btw that pic is of a pike cichlid. not a snakehead
Pikes can't overwinter in the Potomac. :D
Peanut_Power
10-12-2005, 1:59 PM
There are many differences between pikes and snakeheads...but that main one that will help you distinguish them is the fact that Snakeheads anal fin runs at least HALF of their body...where as Crenicichla (pikes) the anal fin does not. Aside from that, and the large scales on the snakeheads heads that also helps to ID them, it can be a challenge to tell them apart. Personally I am a little worried when i have pikes shipped to me cuz most Game and Park wardens and what not can't tell them apart...and since they look so similar, yeah, not kewl. I would make hell though if they confiscated and destroyed my pikes cuz they thought they were snakeheads...oh i would be PISSED! Keep in mind though that pikes get large as well...not four feet like some of the snakeheads...but several pikes easily push 2' feet...some exceed it. There are also dwarf pikes, so snakeheads and pikes are 'similiar' in several aspects. Don't under estimate pikes though. Seems like every one in this post is makin pikes look like pussies, which they are most definately not. Inch for inch, pikes are just as aggressive if not more aggressive than some snakeheads. I can't even imagine a 4' pikes aggression, but i can imagine it would DEMAND respect. Each pike and snake head has varied aggression as well. Pikes don't really tolerate their own kind unless they are a pair, and even then they can wreck havoc on each other. Same goes for most snakeheads. I have only kept gachua....which in my opinion wasn't that aggressive at all. I've had pike cichlids the same size that totally dominated and terrorized the other fish in the tank. Pikes are also ruthless predators.....often eating more than they should, thankz to their elastic stomach. Its a VERY common sight to see pike cichlids with several tails stickin outa their mouths because of their gluttony. They aren't your typical cichlid also in the fact that they will try to eat fish that they shouldn't be able to or even try to. Anywho.....just my two cents...;)
Peanut_Power
10-13-2005, 1:35 PM
Oh, forgot to mention.....LoL....Pikes aren't illegal...so you can still get them...;)! BOOYA!!
There are many differences between pikes and snakeheads...but that main one that will help you distinguish them is the fact that Snakeheads anal fin runs at least HALF of their body...where as Crenicichla (pikes) the anal fin does not. Aside from that, and the large scales on the snakeheads heads that also helps to ID them, it can be a challenge to tell them apart. Personally I am a little worried when i have pikes shipped to me cuz most Game and Park wardens and what not can't tell them apart...and since they look so similar, yeah, not kewl. I would make hell though if they confiscated and destroyed my pikes cuz they thought they were snakeheads...oh i would be PISSED! Keep in mind though that pikes get large as well...not four feet like some of the snakeheads...but several pikes easily push 2' feet...some exceed it. There are also dwarf pikes, so snakeheads and pikes are 'similiar' in several aspects. Don't under estimate pikes though. Seems like every one in this post is makin pikes look like pussies, which they are most definately not. Inch for inch, pikes are just as aggressive if not more aggressive than some snakeheads. I can't even imagine a 4' pikes aggression, but i can imagine it would DEMAND respect. Each pike and snake head has varied aggression as well. Pikes don't really tolerate their own kind unless they are a pair, and even then they can wreck havoc on each other. Same goes for most snakeheads. I have only kept gachua....which in my opinion wasn't that aggressive at all. I've had pike cichlids the same size that totally dominated and terrorized the other fish in the tank. Pikes are also ruthless predators.....often eating more than they should, thankz to their elastic stomach. Its a VERY common sight to see pike cichlids with several tails stickin outa their mouths because of their gluttony. They aren't your typical cichlid also in the fact that they will try to eat fish that they shouldn't be able to or even try to. Anywho.....just my two cents...;)
Great info regarding the difference in lower fins. Pike cichlids are a specialty, not your typical cichlid. My four orange pikes died for no reason. Rest of the tankmates were alive, but the pikes just croak.
Peanut_Power
10-13-2005, 2:11 PM
That sucks bro!! I am sorry! How big were they? Crenicichla are a bit sensative to water parameters and can be delicate when they are below 4"....after that though they reallly get robust and practically seem indestructable...lol.
They were about 3-4 inches. I was really hoping to get a pair, but one morning, they were just dead. They were with my Dats in the 330. They were holding their own too. No visible injuries at all, but looks like they had a heart attack and died! Frozen dead. Weird. When my LFS gets them again, I might get the same quantity because i couldn't figure out the sexes.
Peanut_Power
10-14-2005, 12:45 AM
You won't be able to sex Lugubris pikes till they are subadult....even then it can be tricky if you don't know what you are lookin for. They don't hit subadult till about 8 to 10"...;)...so don't feel bad about not being able to sex them...lol...
Well since snakeheads are illegal for me, ive been looking for an alternative with similar long shape and some aggression, as it turns out the pike cichlids are quickly becoming my favorite "snakehead replacement," so score one for pikes being legal in the US!!
Magnus30
03-12-2006, 10:51 AM
Just wondering if our native bowfin, dogfish, is related to the snakehead, iMO they look very similar?
AtomixIGN
03-13-2006, 12:17 AM
The eating Mickey Mouse line just reminded me....
A friend of mine took in his neighbors 2' snakehead for what was supposed to be a few weeks while the guy moved. After week 6, Sunday turned into live pink mice night.
predatorpassion
03-13-2006, 12:29 AM
Just wondering if our native bowfin, dogfish, is related to the snakehead, iMO they look very similar?
actually bowfin are far more ancient and more related to gars..... I believe they are related to gars
I have a 7" lenticulata and it is one mean sucker. The guy I got him from had him in with a few guachas and it was beating the crap out of them. Now hes terrorizing my catfish so I had to separate them. He literally grabs onto the catfishes fins and tries to rip them off. He is definately my most aggresive fish.
Just like Pikes there are peaceful and aggressive Snakeheads. They are not all mindless killers.
Peanut_Power
03-15-2006, 5:22 PM
Size does affect 'tude though....a pike that grew to the size of some of the snakeheads would definately be a force to recon with...oy
RobD23
03-16-2006, 12:23 AM
they are not remotely similar, not even vaguely related. A snakehead is a potentially 4 foot extreme predator with teeth, a pike cichlid is just a long cichlid.
dude they do have some similarities...check out Channa pleurophthalma they look very similar to the pike cichlids...and actually the pikes and snakeheads do very similar things when they get agressive, they both flare out their throats and mouth and robotically move in circles around each other...Don't try to make other members feel stupid for asking questions when you really don't know much more about the topic
rasdbo
03-17-2006, 9:32 PM
what about the north american pikes or other fish in the north that get 4-6 ft+, they have rows of teeth and look vicous, would they qualify?
Filthy Sanchez
03-23-2006, 9:08 PM
Everybody is talking about how snakeheads are ruthless killers, but man pikes are no angels.
Peanut_Power
03-23-2006, 9:48 PM
Everybody is talking about how snakeheads are ruthless killers, but man pikes are no angels.
HAHAHAHA!! TOTALLY AGREED!! Many of my fish have lost fins while i was at work....*sigh*...needless to say they were moved once i got back, but geez...its crazy how much damage they can do to a fish they don't like in a few hours.
rasdbo
03-23-2006, 11:15 PM
I AGREE :D
SiestaSkyy
03-30-2006, 2:08 PM
i had a snake head that killed everything in my tank, but I had a pair of orange pikes that killed everything in my tank minus the pleco and bicher. they would grab my pleco from both sides and just play tug of war with him. but for some reason never killed it. it seemed like they just did it for fun once and a while. in my book that makes the pike worse.
stotty
03-30-2006, 2:38 PM
The other really big difference is that a Snakehead is an air breather and can spend a large amount of time out of water and get away with it. They can also tolerate wide temperature changes and some of them even hibernate. I have had my fair share of snakeheads and a few pikes. The snake head is the ultimate survivor and killer out of the two. Bowfins are an ancient group of fish that track back to the Jurassic periods Bowfins like Amia Clva (I think that’s how you spell it) don’t like warm water and thrive in 54-72f as they use there swimbladder as a breathing organ and don’t like low oxygen levels in water. They do best in a large cold water tank.