Questions about Giant Snakehead

[H]-[H]

Is giant snakehead also known as channa micro? Those which are black with white belly? When I search online for micro juvi pics, they don't look like adult micros at all.. Based on what I've read, I assume micro's juvi has 2 black stripes on its side with yellow/orange/red colour in between the 2 black stripes?
What to look for when selecting a good looking juvi micro?

 

[gigas12]

Yes you are right. When buying channa look for good colors , clear eyes,untorn fins and scales and fish are constantly on the move.

 

[tropheus]

agree with everything gigas12 said , a young micro should be bright in colour and allways active with no visable scale damage or holes in the scales , clear eyes and shop should be able to demonstrate that it is feeding well , ask to see it feed and ask what they feed it on, a varied diet is best as if only on live may prove dificult to wean off . a lot easyier if allready accepting dead food from shop. all fins should be compleate any sign of fin damage suggests it has been bullied and may be a week fish or have been stressed , if there is a few in the tank useally the biggest is the fittest as it is getting more food at feeding time.

channa micro is just a shortend name real name channa micropeltes = small scalled snakehead . micro - small and peltes scales and are indeed red as juvie i.e there other commen name red or redline snakehead , the adult fish is mostly white under body and black upper but has a shean which can be anything from green to blue and looks nothing like the juvie fish . there are many micropeltes about so you can afford to be very picky.
do be warned though of there final size even in aquaria they can and do reach 2.5 to 3 foot ,so a tank of 2.5foot wide minimum will be needed to house one

cheers col

 

[intrxz]

very informative tropheus

 

[H]-[H]

Are these giant snakeheads? Pics taken from the "post your snakehead pics" section..
How long does a giant snakehead take to become black & white? I also noticed some micro have red eyes.. is it caused by flash?

 

[ermgravy]

1, 2, 4, 5 = micro,

3 def and maybe 5 = diplo (indian giant)

6 = ? cobra or flowerline? i cant either see or think today...

 

[tropheus]

agreed with nathen although 6 could be maruloids .

but yes 1,2,4 and five are indeed mircos , they become adult colours at diferant times some quicker than others but i would expect to see full adult colours by 12-18 months. some a lot sooner.

there eyes are normally black with a red/orange ring on them some will apear redder than others ,but the flash is exagerating it. they do not get really bright red eyes like some maruloids and some marulia

cheers col