Need Advice for Channa Aurantimaculata

[Giandurazzo]

Couple weeks ago I had an opportunity to purchase one of these gorgeous animals and did it without hesitation. When I just introduced it to my tank it was eating right away but after like 10 days i noticed the super worms just laying on the substrate around the tank. My auranti was only eating super worms. There are other fish with it in the tank but i am removing them this week (Couple small heros and datnoids, but they never nipped the channa). The temperatures are a big issue for me since i'm from Brazil and even without a heater the temperature on the water can reach 28C easily. Luckly i was able to get the temperature to be around 24.9C to 26.2C, i am seriously thinking in investing in a chiller. My auranti is a juvenile and is about 18 cm long. For the past days it was not very active but after my last water change I did a re-aquascape of the tank leaving a bit more open space (The tank still has a lot of hiding places a fake plants).After I changed the tank layout the channa was a bit more active.
If there is anyone willing to share some experience I'd be very greateful.

 

[Matteus]

headbanger_jib justarn Tobiassorensen

 

[Tobiassorensen]

Well channas are mainly swampdwellers that mainly lives in water with slow movement. Ive never kept aurantis but kept a few other species both subtropical and tropical species. Aurantimaculata is an tropical species so they dont require an colder period that low. They come from an area that has very high humdity and temps in the summer.

Channas also IME tend to love dimmed tanks with floating vegetation.

A friend of mine aquired an group of 6 wc aurantis some years ago and had an hard time feeding them in the beginning. Tried alot of things and came tp the conclusion that the only thing they took at that moment was earthworms. You can try to feed them crickets and cockroaches as they feed on insects in the wild.

IME channas dont like big wc at all. I have a pair of wc asiaticas that i havnt changed water to in about 3 months now. Plenty of plants. Both submerged, floating and terretrial as pothos and peace lilys grow like weeds and the asiatica pair produces fry in an pace i cant get rid of the fry.

 

[headbanger_jib]

Couple weeks ago I had an opportunity to purchase one of these gorgeous animals and did it without hesitation. When I just introduced it to my tank it was eating right away but after like 10 days i noticed the super worms just laying on the substrate around the tank. My auranti was only eating super worms.

Aurantimaculata when small are a bit difficult to get to feed, but they won't starve to death, they usually come around quote soon and eat what is offered, even pellets.

Super worms although readily accepted by most insectivore fish, I wouldn't give them on a regular basis, especially Channa. Very high fat content.

Channa aurantimaculata have a slow metabolism, so regular feeding isn't a good habit, once in two to three days is a better regimen.

There are other fish with it in the tank but i am removing them this week (Couple small heros and datnoids, but they never nipped the channa).

All them small fish will eventually be killed by an aurantimaculata

The temperatures are a big issue for me since i'm from Brazil and even without a heater the temperature on the water can reach 28C easily. Luckly i was able to get the temperature to be around 24.9C to 26.2C, i am seriously thinking in investing in a chiller.

My aurantimaculata was kept at 26-28 deg celcius, south Indian temperatures.

My auranti is a juvenile and is about 18 cm long. For the past days it was not very active but after my last water change I did a re-aquascape of the tank leaving a bit more open space (The tank still has a lot of hiding places a fake plants).After I changed the tank layout the channa was a bit more active.

Since when did it become sluggish before you reduced the temp or after ??
Also do tell us about the diet regimen you follow.