Dwarf Snakead (Channa gachua)

**Irish2539** · 02-14-2009, 03:02 PM

Iv recently got a dwarf snakehead (Channa gachua), its about 3.5-4 "... max size 8" its currently in my 70 L tank with no tankmates... when its bigger I may put it in my 900 L tank,,,, are they agressive towards larger fish??

Here is a list of fish I currently hav they are all fairly mature..

900 L
- Common Pleco
- Gold nugget pleco
- 3 Cory's
- 4 Siemese algee eaters
- 4 Clown loaches
- sucking loach
- iredescent shark (getting bigger and bigger)
- 3 tinfoil barbs
- 2 bala sharks
- 1 torpedo barb (should be in shoal, can't get them any more)
- 8 tiger barbs
- 2 ropefish
- Bichir (senegalus)
- 2 butterfly fish
- red tailed shark

any info on this fish and about its behaviour, would be great!! and would he eat any of the fish mentioned above.... thanks

**robnepper** · 02-14-2009, 03:18 PM

NOT a community fish. Will devour anything it can in your tanks. These fish are serious about surviving and have been know to jump out of the tank and walk around peoples houses for days looking for food. They have been declared illegal in some US states and probably other countries as well because they have a nasty habit of killing every thing they come across and then walking across dry lad to find more food and another pond.

Did you look into this fish before you bought it?

I would love to have a tank for them but as of yet I didn't know you could get a dwarf variety. I hope the LFS knew what they were talking about or you are going to have a two foot master killer on your hands.

**Irish2539** · 02-14-2009, 03:44 PM

yes, i knew know about snakeheads b4 i bought it, but not the dwarf variety,,
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/channa/gachua.php
i dont think they are as agressive as the larger snakeheads,(then again im not sure) im just wondering would he eat a fish larger then himself?

**annageckos** · 02-14-2009, 11:19 PM

Snakehead's are not the visous bloodthirsty killer most belive them to be. They are preditors, nothing more. With that said, they will eat anything that they can fit into thier mouths.

- Common Pleco
- Gold nugget pleco
- 3 Cory's
- 4 Siemese algee eaters
- 4 Clown loaches
- sucking loach
- iredescent shark (getting bigger and bigger)
- 3 tinfoil barbs
- 2 bala sharks
- 1 torpedo barb (should be in shoal, can't get them any more)
- 8 tiger barbs
- 2 ropefish
- Bichir (senegalus)
- 2 butterfly fish
- red tailed shark

Out of your list of fish I think that atlest some of them can and will get eaten. Snakeheads will eat fish almost the lenth of their own body. Seeing as they get around 6-8 inches alot of your fish are in that range. And even if the S.H can't EAT the fish it may end up killing the other fish trying or even killing it self trying to get the fish down. I wouldn't chance it. I love S.H's, they are great fish, but they are now illeagal in all of the USA. All because some idiot had to let some go.

Anyway, injoy the fish and good luck.

Anna

**Eddie** · 02-14-2009, 11:19 PM

Just to be safe, I wouldn't mix him with anything that could REMOTELY fit into his mouth, i've had small, yet aggressive, fish with larger fish sticking out of their mouthes because some part of the fish fit into them so they decided to devour it and let it slowly digest.

I know the larger snakeheads wouldnt hesitate doing this for a second, but i'm not sure about the dwarf variety, i'd keep him along or with larger aggressive fish just to be safe.

**Wild Turkey** · 02-14-2009, 11:26 PM

Yea its a dwarf snakehead

heres the link to the AC profile.....

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/channa/gachua.php
lol

Doesnt say much other than Aggressive though which is quite obvious.
You are dead on with the size though

**Northernguy** · 02-15-2009, 02:12 AM

You are best off making a species tank for that fish.

**Friendly** · 02-15-2009, 02:21 AM

Originally Posted by robnepper

NOT a community fish. Will devour anything it can in your tanks. These fish are serious about surviving and have been know to jump out of the tank and walk around peoples houses for days looking for food.

It will eat the cat food, should it ever get out the tank. Anything in the tank that is bigger than it should be OK.

**Lynn Conroy** · 02-17-2009, 02:18 AM

Illegal now due to people dumping them in lakes, etc.
Someone here in Syracuse has had one for 10 years and has no intention of ever releasing yet it may be taken from him and destroyed by the DEC. Sad story.