New arrival, confirm ID and behaviour

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
C

caribexr2

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 9, 2011
322
2
0
Newcastle
Good evening

I purchased a few snakeheads today and just wanted to confirm ID, purchased as golden cobra's about 6" nose to tail, group of 5 to try and get a pair.

I have noticed odd behaviour from them, it looks like courting behaviour but surely they are too small.

2 of them follow each other around, shaking and rolling around each other.

Not opening there mouths etc, but doesn't seem aggressive at all.

Poor picture im afraid but all I could get at the moment.

800l tank at 21 degrees

 
Looks like 2 very washed out Channa aurantimaculata. I've never seen them that pale.

By the looks in the pic's they are sizing each other up. Mock courtship is common when young it's part of the pairing process. Males will flare at each other and try to court/ball the dominant female. One female tends to be courted as she drives the others into hiding she'll also drive unwanted males into hiding. If the female excepts a mate he'll stick to her side/they will claim a cave and then hunt down the others.

too boost the odds of success provide lot's of hides so they can easily hide from each other, lot's of floating cover to blanket the top and darken the tank also helps them be more comfortable.


hope that helps !
 
You should have seen how washed out they were in the shop...

They had no colours. Tank was waaaaaaaaaaaaay too hot. I have them much cooler and they have started to get the patterns out now. Also 10 in a small tank with no cover.

Will see how they get on. Put a bit of fresh prawn and white bait in last night. They went over to it and one had a bit but the others hung back.

Will take them a few days I suppose.
 
Started eating some blood worms just now as well although one is not eating and is hanging out at the top. He comes down to the food but just doesn't seem Interested
 
Looking better! glad to hear they found a better home!

Give them some time. It will take a few days to recover from the stress, Hanging out at the top is normal behavior as well, nothing to worry about.

If you can get some I recommend meal worms, should get them eating.
 
Cheers.

Made a few caves for them with the big wood and they are happily charging in and out of them.

The shop had them in with some Texas cichlids so no wonder they were stressed.

Looking at a 800 litre tank and not seeing anything is weird to me.

I am new to snakeheads so hopefully they are not the slowest growing.

Will be keeping as a species tank.

Thank you for advice
 
Sounds good! species tank is the way to go ! As for growth no, they are not slow growers at all , channa are some of the fastest growing fish I've worked with.
 
Only species I have kept in the past at home were rainbows. I ordered 10 black ghost knife fish for the shop years ago and they had ran out so decided to send me 10 micropeltis instead...... eh slight difference lol

Had some pluros in but unfortunately one of the youngest members of staff forgot to put the cover glass back on.... I'm sure you can see where I am going with this :-(
 
yes, many snakeheads meet there maker because of open tops!

I keep Gachua , Bleheri, Auranti and Asiatica ... I've been trying to get my hands on 6-7 pleuros but no so far and winter seems to have made a comeback this year so i probably wont get another chance until the season comes around again next fall.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom