# snakeheads and planted tanks



## Chronick (Dec 22, 2009)

although snakeheads have a pretty notorious reputation for being savage killers, generally dwarf channa are fairly peaceful. In the wild they're most at home in a planted environment so they would do very well in planted tanks in my opinion. 
for those who don't know what these fish can look like here are some pictures just to give you an idea how colorful these fish can be.


























has does anyone have any planted snakehead tanks on this forum? i've used the search feature but didn't really see any


----------



## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

Well, there's probably a reason there's no word of them on this forum...

Seeing as how they are illegal to possess in all 50 of the United States.


----------



## Chronick (Dec 22, 2009)

i was under the impression this website was not exclusive to americans. As far as i know snakeheads are legal in pretty much everywhere except for america


----------



## ShortFin (Dec 27, 2005)

Chronick said:


> As far as i know snakeheads are legal in pretty much everywhere except for america


You can also put Asian Arowana to the list. Stingrays too if you live in California.


----------



## mgamer20o0 (Mar 8, 2007)

the smaller ones are neat though hardly any info on the sites i go to.


----------



## SkyGrl (Jan 7, 2010)

very beautiful fish... are the smaller varities less aggressive then the monsters??? lol 

not that i dont love seeing snake heads.. bought some piranhas off a guy getting into snakeheads the big ones tho! lol the stories ive heard from big als employees... if they are not on the floor tanks they can make it into other tanks and they eat ALOT of stock... hahahaha 

still a super cool fish!

im inticed by the smaller types... any links or more info?? like i really need another full tank..


----------



## Chronick (Dec 22, 2009)

generally dwarf channa stay around 5-6" so definitely a good size

channa bleheri or rainbow snakeheads are very docile, i keep them with 6 panda cories and they max out at 5-6"








i have 6 in a 50 gallon planted and i would take pictures but my camera is broken

stewartii true blues are also quite nice although you can't keep them in a community tank









channa sp fire and ice stay around 5-6" as well although have been known to be more aggressive


----------



## HypnoticAquatic (Feb 17, 2010)

i have heard of some states allowing ones that cant survive over the winter but best to check localy as states vary havent really looked into gettin one an the only ones i know people keep are the bigger ones. heres what i found real quick though check with mfk.com they would have more info. The Lacey Act prohibits the importation, transportation, and acquisition of wildlife species deemed to be "injurious" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The following fish and invertebrate species are considered to be injurious under the Act:

(2) The importation, transportation, or acquisition of any of the species listed in this paragraph is prohibited except as provided under the terms and conditions set forth in Sec. 16.22:

(i) Live fish or viable eggs of walking catfish, family Clariidae;
(ii) Live mitten crabs, genus Eriocheir, or their viable eggs;
(iii) Live mollusks, veligers, or viable eggs of zebra mussels, genus Dreissena; 
(iv) Any live fish or viable eggs of snakehead fishes of the genera Channa and Parachanna (or their generic synonyms of Bostrychoides, Ophicephalus, Ophiocephalus, and Parophiocephalus) of the Family Channidae, including but not limited to:
(A) Channa amphibeus (Chel or Borna snakehead).
(B ) Channa argus (Northern or Amur snakehead).
( C) Channa asiatica (Chinese or Northern Green snakehead).
(D) Channa aurantimaculata.
(E) Channa bankanensis (Bangka snakehead).
(F) Channa baramensis (Baram snakehead).
(G) Channa barca (barca or tiger snakehead).
(H) Channa bleheri (rainbow or jewel snakehead).
(I) Channa cyanospilos (bluespotted snakehead).
(J) Channa gachua (dwarf, gaucha, or frog snakehead).
(K) Channa harcourtbutleri (Inle snakehead).
(L) Channa lucius (shiny or splendid snakehead).
(M) Channa maculata (blotched snakehead).
(N) Channa marulius (bullseye, murrel, Indian, great, or cobra snakehead).
(O) Channa maruloides (emperor snakehead).
(P) Channa melanoptera.
(Q) Channa melasoma (black snakehead).
( R) Channa micropeltes (giant, red, or redline snakehead).
(S) Channa nox.
(T) Channa orientalis (Ceylon or Ceylonese Green snakehead).
(U) Channa panaw.
(V) Channa pleurophthalmus (ocellated, spotted, or eyespot snakehead).
(W) Channa punctata (dotted or spotted snakehead).
(X) Channa stewartii (golden snakehead).
(Y) Channa striata (chevron or striped snakehead).
(Z) Parachanna africana (Niger or African snakehead).
(AA) Parachanna insignis (Congo, square-spotted African or light African snakehead).
(BB) Parachanna obscura (dark African, dusky, or square-spotted snakehead).

Source: 50 Code of Federal Regulations §16.13.



And as far as permits are concerned:

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service adds all species of 
snakehead fishes in the Channidae family to the list of injurious fish, 
mollusks, and crustaceans. By this action, the Service prohibits the 
importation into or transportation between the continental United 
States, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, or any territory or possession of the United States. The best 
available information indicates that this action is necessary to 
protect wildlife and wildlife resources from the purposeful or 
accidental introduction and subsequent establishment of snakehead 
populations in ecosystems of the United States. Live snakehead fishes 
or viable eggs can be imported only by permit for scientific, medical, 
educational, or zoological purposes, or without a permit by Federal 
agencies solely for their own use; permits will also be required for 
the interstate transportation of live snakeheads or viable eggs 
currently held in the United States, for scientific, medical, 
educational, or zoological purposes. This final rule becomes effective 
immediately upon publication.

DATES: This rule is effective October 4, 2002.


----------



## Chronick (Dec 22, 2009)

i know there's only 1 state in all of the US that allows SOME channa to be kept (although it's almost impossible to find them as you can't import the fish into the country and you have to find someone in the state who breeds/owns them) i forget the state though... i'll edit it when i remember.


----------



## SkyGrl (Jan 7, 2010)

sweet i can avoid all the legal stuff... cuz canada gets COLD!!! hahahaha awesome!

i like these fish alot.. im keeping my eye out for these bad boys!

Amy


----------



## Chronick (Dec 22, 2009)

SkyGrl said:


> sweet i can avoid all the legal stuff... cuz canada gets COLD!!! hahahaha awesome!
> 
> i like these fish alot.. im keeping my eye out for these bad boys!
> 
> Amy


you should be able to find bleheris in winnipeg im almost certain they sell them there every now and then


----------



## SkyGrl (Jan 7, 2010)

very cool  maybe Harold can get me some. his imported fish are by far the nicest wild caught plecos i have ever seen and soooo many other fish on his list.. if he cant get them ill lurk until i find them!


----------



## Wicket_lfe (Aug 21, 2008)

Those things are gorgeous. Everytime they are on TV in the US, its like, these are the penalties, and this is what it is doing to your local environment. LOL


----------



## GitMoe (Aug 30, 2010)

If you catch one in the wild you are supposed kill it immediately and report it to your local Fish and Game commission. They ask to see the dead fish and turn it over to them for logging... When I lived in Michigan and fished a lot this was an issue.


----------



## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

A more aquarium friendly group are the pike cichlids

C compressiceps is a nice like fish, meaner than heck for their size.
This group will have more resale and better breeding potential for a market than snakeheads in general. Most are non threatening in terms of the invasives, at least none known yet.

Snakeheads are nice fish, I've had them in the distant past.
But.......why bother when I can go catch locals:











Regards, 
Tom Barr


----------



## DVentHill (Oct 21, 2010)

Stewartii have always been a faverite of mine!! I looked into getting a pair to feed my betta culls to and then I was pissed when I found out they were illegal here in the US.. I am still looking for an alternative :tongue: A great place to learn about them is the snakeheadforum.com


----------



## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

I have kept compressiceps and now keep C Regani. Neither are as pretty as the dwarf channa I see here... My Dwarf pikes were not that aggressive either. I keep 3 C Regani in a tank with a bn pleco, oto cats, rasbora, and a few species of apisto... 

They are naturally apisto fry hunters, and I have no need for them to breed so this works well. There is nothing more than the expected territorial arguments.

C regani and compressiceps are very difficult to come by, right now though. Seems no one has them for sale.


----------



## Chronick (Dec 22, 2009)

plantbrain said:


> A more aquarium friendly group are the pike cichlids
> 
> C compressiceps is a nice like fish, meaner than heck for their size.
> This group will have more resale and better breeding potential for a market than snakeheads in general. Most are non threatening in terms of the invasives, at least none known yet.
> ...


i guess that's preference i suppose but I've always liked snakeheads and found them to be a lot more colorful and have much better personality than a lot of other fish. Not to mention snakeheads are unbelievably hardy, and can be kept in a wide range of water parameters so long as the temperature is appropriate


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

I live near right next to the town that had the snakehead outbreak a few years back. You can still catch them in ponds around the area. Vicious fish.


----------



## Chronick (Dec 22, 2009)

gringostar9 said:


> I live near right next to the town that had the snakehead outbreak a few years back. You can still catch them in ponds around the area. Vicious fish.


i hear they a lot of fun to catch and excellent eating :tongue:


----------



## Jowlz (Oct 16, 2010)

Another good source of info about snakeheads can be found at monsterfishkeepers.com. They have a state by state list of the laws pertaining to snakeheads.


----------



## SearunSimpson (Jun 5, 2007)

If you live in Canada, I know www.canadianaquatics.com sometimes gets them, I think? I'm not sure what their stock lists are though. I never see them in stores though.


----------

