Feeding - Rainbow Snakehead (Channa bleheri)

[John_jb1]

Hello,

I have a baby rainbow snakehead it's about 4 inches, not sure on sex. But I'm wondering on the feeding behaviours off this species. When I just got him, I put him in his tank and gave him a cricket and it ate it more or less straight away. And now instead of putting crickets/worms in the tank, because they'd just drown and rott. I've put some zebra fish and guppies, the snakehead has eaten one so far, but it's been about a week now and he's not eaten any others, and seems quite uninterested in food.

Is this normal? Do they only eat once a week or less?

Cheers,

- John -

 

[gigas12]

Hi,try feeding other foods,bloodworms ,pellets,frozen fish.I feed my bleheris 5 to 6 days a week.

 

[John_jb1]

I've just ordered some freeze dried blood worm, and I've tried some pellets, no interest in them. Do you think it could be something else?

Cheers,

- John -

 

[gigas12]

Hi,is he in a community tank or by itself,check water values,do you have plants in your tank?

 

[John_jb1]

Hello,

Yes he's in a sort of community tank, there's him and 4 other zebras (Origonally 5, he ate one) and a small Pleco to eat the algie.

There's two other plants in there that he never really leaves, he's usually hidden amoungst them or hiding ontop of the filter. I could get some pictures of need be?

The tank is 2ft long, 1ft wide and 16inches high.

Cheers,

- John -

 

[gigas12]

Hi,channas are more adaptable to species tanks,anyway it may take some time before he gets accustomed to his new ambient,provide him with more plants and hiding places.

 

[gigas12]

Hi,another very important point is water temperture,channa bleheris are subtropical,they need a water temp 18-24 deg cels

 

[chronick]

Hi,another very important point is water temperture,channa bleheris are subtropical,they need a water temp 18-24 deg cels

my thoughts too, i keep mine at 16C atm for a cooling period and they still eat pellets + all the other good stuff i toss in the tank. In my experience, they tend not eat as much when it's warm

 

[John_jb1]

Thank you guys so much for your help, how would I cool it? It's currently around room temperature, I read that they shouldn't be kept in tropical water, so I didn't buy any heating equipment.

Cheers,

- John -

 

[gigas12]

Hi,keep in touch!