New Channa Gachua

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

shawe1

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Aug 28, 2013
336
7
33
Hertfordshire, England
I recently brought a 4/5 inch Channa Gachua (my first snakehead) and after 24 hours he has still not really moved much. I'm not sure if this is normal snakehead behaviour but he come from a very small tank (literally couldn't be any bigger than 2 or 3 gal) with no place to hide and very bright lighting. So I currently have him in a small 12gal on his own and intend on moving him to my 92gal once he has settled / eating etc.

When would I expect to see a little more activity from him? Should I put him straight in to a larger tank (with some bigger eartheaters)?






Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
If he's anything like my pulchra, he'll be very easily spooked/stressed especially if he's just moved from a not so suitable tank. A few days of being in a quiet tank with hiding places should do him some good, it might take a week or so till he's acting a bit more normal
 
Agreed, channa dont like changing tanks I'd start him in his permanent home and make sure to provide lot's of hides and some floating cover, he'll come around faster that way. Once settled in they come around and become quite bold. Food tends to help lol they learn u bring food they suddenly become very brave !

I would not mix him with any tank mates, Gachua are very aggressive, once it settles in it'll torment/kill fish even larger ones. Snake heads dont like having tank mates, they are very territorial most will kill tankmates, when they can't they tend to hide all the time to avoid them.
 
I have now put the him in his permanent home and he is either VERY shy or there is something more sinister. My brother has recently brought an ocellated snakehead (pleuro) and he is smaller and a lot more active? Other than turn around my Gachua doesn't move/swim?

Here is a pic of him when I first put him in his tank (obviously looking very stressed)

ImageUploadedByMonsterAquariaNetwork1388753401.590978.jpg

Is it just a case of being a bit more patient?


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
Give him a few days and see how he's doing then - are there plenty of hiding places for him? What about tankmates? I find floating plants can help as well
 
hanwyz said:
Give him a few days and see how he's doing then - are there plenty of hiding places for him? What about tankmates? I find floating plants can help as well
Click to expand...

Yes he has plenty of hiding spots within a maze of logs, bog wood and plants. The tank is dimly lit. His tank mates are currently some loaches, small corydoras (of which I thought would have been eaten) giant danios, and a couple of larger placid eartheaters. He should be the most dominant fish in the tank my some way!

The smaller fish are not intended as feeders but are there to make the channa feel more comfortable in his new surroundings and then move them out accordingly.

One thing I did notice is that there was more colour to him today so I am hoping that is a good sign. I have put a bunch if river shrimp in with him but no signs of him having eaten any and these shrimp formed part of his diet prior to me purchasing him so he should have eaten some by now!?


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
yes looks quite stressed, and that's probably also why it's not eating.

As was previously mentioned tank mates are a bad idea, it doesn't make a them more comfortable, they see other fish as prey and or competition. The "larger" peaceful type fish just drive the snake heads into hiding because they can't kill them and dont feel safe around fish they can't kill!

Also what are the temperatures like ? It sounds like the rest of your stock probably likes warm tropical temperatures, Gachua tend to prefer cooler subtropical temperatures.

adding floating cover is very good advice, this will make them feel safe, but it'll also dim the lighting , the tank in the pic seems quite bright for a snake head, they like things dark and gloomy.


hope that helps,
 
Thanks for your help!!

Right i have thinned the tank out and got rid of the majority of the other fish. I have provided a lot of cover which has subsequently darkened the tank.

The temperature is 25 degrees at the moment.

I put a load of river shrimp in the tank and they are all gone so im fairly confident he has eaten. He is starting to show some curiosity and is often poking his head out of his cave to have a look about and I have seen him move from one place to another but with me having to net some fish out it is probably keeping him in hiding even more.

Can you keep snakeheads with other snakeheads or is that a bit hit or miss also??

Sent from my GT-I9505 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Sounds good! 25c should be alright for gachua, if u can get it down a couple degrees you'll probably get nicer coloration.

as for other channa no most species (gachua included) they fight to the death unless it's a breeding pair, and even then it's not uncommon for them to en up in a fight and kill eachother.

I should mention just because u mentioned your brother has one, Channa pleurophthalma is the opposite or most snakeheads. They are pack hunters and do best kept in groups, they should be in tropical temps and have a reputation for being fine with tank mates as long as they cannot be swallowed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom