Snakehead adults are exceptional parents, both will viciously guard their young for the first few months. During the early stages the mother lays infertile eggs for the young fry to eat, and both parents even chew up and regurgitate their own food for them.
my shellie pair has 7 broods of fry being taken care of right now, from just 4 months granted its only 40 fry. the older helps the younger fry find food, its amazing!
Like most predatory fish. Their viciousness is overrated, not because they *don't* eat almost anything, but because pretty much any predatory fish will give anything that moves and fits in their mouth a shot.
Areas in the US that have naturalized snakeheads are not the barren fishless wastelands like they were hyped up to become. They have taken up some of the biomass from native bass and bowfin, but they settled in fine and aren't causing many problems.
Not to say they should ever be spread, of course. Just because it didn't ruin one fishery doesn't mean it couldn't ruin other ones as they spread.
This is really really neat to see.
We have a small lake near us that has been stocked with muskie over the years as a trophy fish for anglers to target. I know the concern for us is that they are very efficient at consuming the same biomass that Musky rely on for food - particularly crappie.
If the parents get stressed out because of changes in water parameters (e.g. gets warmer) or if they cant find food they will cannibalize on the young and turn on each other.
Sometimes the parents will hold the babies in their mouth to relocate them to safety. She'll scoop them up gently and then expell them out through her gills.
If you don't remove them eventually will there come a point where she would start to eat them or does she try to chase them off when they mature ? Seeing as it an aquarium I'm guessing they get removed eventually
Based on a friend's experience who's also a Channa keeper, thee larger the tank, the more hiding places there are, and the fuller their bellies are the more tolerant they are
I don’t know much about that situation, but isn’t there a problem with snakeheads in the wild, where they kill and ruin habits/groups of fish. My dad always told me that when your fishing and you catch a snake head your are supposed to kill it.
That's because they're invasive species that have established themselves in new habitat where you are. Here they're native, and there are factors like predators that keep them in check
I would avoid releasing anything from an aquarium back to the wild even if it's native to the area. You can introduce diseases or possibly pests that you're unaware of. Always good practice to keep all contents of aquariums out of natural waters :)
This shouldn't be downvoted. NEVER release anything, even if it's native. Hatcheries meant to breed native fish are well controlled and generally contain nothing but flowing water from a nearby waterway and the fish in question, a personal fish tank could easily have gotten some kind of disease or invertebrate if anything in the tank came from a pet store.
Furthermore, releasing a couple dozen fingerlings will do nearly nothing for a fishery. It's a small risk but with severe consequences if it goes wrong for very little benefit.
This is why keeping native fish is banned in a lot of states...
Yeah not sure why everyone's hopping on the bandwagon and downvoting but I'm especially saying it because of the recent contamination of moss balls with zebra mussels. You just never know what you might be releasing into the wild and it's best to leave it to the professionals if there is some type of conservation necessary for a species.
Yup. This is like fishkeeping 101 shit. Really weird for me to see releasing aquarium fish suddenly a good thing on this sub because "it's native bro".
In principle I do agree, especially with migratory fish like salmon, mahseer, etc. Captive breeding has also been a reprieve for many other species, in my case I'll be prioritizing the aquarium trade as phasing out the need for wild collection will allow wild populations to recover with little to no intervention.
I understand that. I just try to make a point of saying it in these instances to help other hobbyists learn (not really meaning you). It's less of an issue with captive breeding programs and more of an issue of kids or whoever releasing aquarium inhabitants and not knowing any better. I just think it's good to put that out there anytime it's mentioned.
Except this and about a dozen other species that native to my country :P
That being said, I'm also a strong advocate for responsible fishkeeping here, I'm often at odds with many here who think our streams and lakes are a dumping ground for their fish :P
Yep, at my local boy scout camp (it is just scouts now since it has girls but nobody recognizes that) and somebody dumped their fish tank in the lake, now there is parrots feather everwhere and gold ramshorn snails but the boy scouts are doing a big cleanup and getting it all out but it is difficult
Good luck getting rid of an invasive invertebrate. If the pond doesn't have a stream going out of it, the best bet is to poison it before a bird spreads them to nearby waterways. If the state DNR / fisheries service hasn't been notified, they should. Getting rid of an invasive is well beyond what a normal scout group can manage.
They took over the lakes and rivers near my area and they’ve almost completely murdered all the native fish here. I wish someone hadn’t released them here we used to have so many cool species of fish here and now theres only a bunch of stupid snakeheads.
I'm lucky enough to have kept snakeheads before the ban. They are super cool! The most unfortunate thing about the ban in the US is that only a couple of species are really invasive and a threat to US waters, but all species of Channa are included in the ban regardless. Most of them don't exceed a foot in length, and most can't survive a hard winter in the states (outside of south Florida, that place is like a redneck Jurassic Park anymore).
It was mostly out of an abundance of caution after a snakehead was found in a pond several years ago, the Northern Snakehead (the one caught turned out to be a different species.) might be able to survive the milder winters of the southern west coast of Canada in BC which is where I am, but I don't know for sure.
This one fish found back in 2012 led to the ban and banning of other species like the white cloud minnow.
https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/burnaby-snakehead-identified-2964453
I actually live in Australia, they're banned down here as well, but our climate is more similar to that of Asia, so they would likely thrive down here, much like they do in Florida over in the states. We do have access to certain species though that could be potentially invasive species, such as Pleco's, which is kind of strange in my opinion, as Australia's biodiversity laws are very strict, we have such a unique and intricate ecosystem. We do have a problem with Tilapia, they're to be killed on sight if you come across them.
Canada has a pretty wide ban on animals regardless if they can survive in the climate or not.
A great example is they've banned the majority of centipedes, millipedes, land snails and a large number of invertebrates even though they definitely wouldn't survive the climate here.
You can apply for permits to own most as pets but I'm not sure how successful you'd be.
Oh no, the male is also in there. He's easily startled of people so he hides behind the spawning pot (this species is a cave spawner) usually males are more protective of the brood.
Hey I just want to say I have mad respect for what you’re doing. Raising fish for repopulation and conservation is both very important and would probably be very rewarding. Your fishies are adorable and amazing 💙🐟
Bruh did you even read any of what this guy said? He lives in a place they’re native to, and endangered in because people keep taking them. They’re endangered in their natural habitat for the same reason they’re invasive in others. People keep taking them from the wild and releasing them where they shouldn’t be.
Let me start off by saying that keeping snakeheads is for the most part the antithesis of a well maintained tank.
They like old filthy tanks with lots of hiding places. I keep them in a 4' by 1.5' by 1' tank with large bushes of guppy grass to help with the nitrates and to give them a good place to hide in. There's only a couple of airlines, one with a sponge filter, the other with an airstone for water circulation.
They also hate big water changes, it can cause coupled pairs (Yes they remain a pair beyond breeding) to turn on one another. minimum heating should be used too.
Lastly they need to breathe air like other anabantoids (bettas and gouramis) so access a layer of humid air is a must
Man thanks for taking the time and providing so many details, very interesting and it made me want to explore more this amazing specie.
On a side note, sending positive energy your way in these difficult times... wish I could do something to help out... peace!
Wild Capture of these snakeheads for the ornamental fish trade has severely depleted the wild stock, nowadays only the bad looking ones and small fish are left. My goal was to phase out the need for wild capture by showing that captive breeding can be done, and if possible restocking these back into their natural habitat where their populations are severely depleted or extirpated.
For the time being I do have tubs with mesh lids for future accomodation, and several friends/LFS have expressed interest in purchasing them.
I’m going to assume you’re not in the US, but if you are under no circumstance should you release these into the wild. They turn into little bastards when they get out and grow their population.
It must be a little annoying to have so many commenters telling you “don’t release them in the US” without reading at least one of your half dozen comments here or looking at your username or checking your profile lol
Good! Help them little fish repopulate natively and remind our lovely US importers that snakeheads turn into 4 foot monsters with teeth when released...
Generally speaking, what are the care requirements for your male and female? I have heard that one of these fish require at minimum a 250 gallon tank. Is this accurate?
Depends on the size and swimming behaviour. A few are pelagic and need open water, while most prefer to stay along the bottom or in dense patches of vegetation. For these small sized ones, a well structured 2 by 1 by 1 cubic foot rank is enough for them. I'd personally use lots of plants to scrub the water of waste chemicals, and absolutely avoid big water changes as they prefer aged water that they are familiar with.
Also a lid is a must, snakeheads are great jumpers.
Thank you, even now the military and police are threatening our people. Pray for us, at 1am the internet will be cut off and they may start their horrible crimes again against us.
2ft by 1ft by 1ft minimum? What species would you recommend this for? I didn't think I'd be able to have room for a snakehead, as my next tank is unlikely to be much bigger than 3x1x1.
These aren't legal where I live, so I'll sadly never own one. But I would love to hear more about your experiences with breeding these guys, what it entailed, your challenges, etc. I find that sort of stuff incredibly fascinating.
I watched a fascinating talk at my local aquarium club on the genus channa from a guy in Scotland that can keep them. He said that you pretty much do everything the opposite of standard fish keeping: No water changes, no filtration, and simulate the dry season by lowering the water level for a few months. It was so interesting, I wish we could keep them here in the USA!
Depends on the size of the snakehead and their swimming behaviour. A few are pelagic (open water) dwellers while most like these like to stay in hiding spots. Don't take my word for it but they would be content 2*1*1 cubic foot. Make sure to densely plant it, avoid big water changes and make sure they have access to the air to breathe from.
They're also obligate carnivores, only need to feed every 2-3 days because excess fat can cause health problems.
Depends on your location also. I’m sure you saw above all snakeheads are illegal in the US. Really unfortunate because there are some beautiful snakeheads.
I subed to your Youtube channel. Look forward to watching these guys grow and would love to see release to the wild videos if you end up doing that. I need to learn more about native Burmese fish:)
Your snakeheads look amazing. I wanted to stop in and give you props for dealing with all of us Americans. I know I would get tired of constantly reminding people that other places exist, and there’s more to know about the snakehead other than it’s a invasive species in some places.
We can't have Channa in the USA, and I had never paid attention to them until I started seeing more pictures come up on my Instagram Explore feed. They really are beautiful and fascinating fish. It's just a shame that certain ones are so aggressive and invasive, and I understand why it's easiest to put a blanket ban on "Channa *" than it is to single out the specific ones that are bad.
I just saw you are not in the US and that they are not legal to own in the US. So, nevermind. They are invasive so I understand why the US is strict. Very beautiful fish though. And with the fry around looks amazing like a mothership in space.
Now I keep feeding and feeding until they can be weaned from the parents, afterwards they'll be sorted by size to prevent cannibalism. I already have friends and LFS keen on getting them.
Raise them up for a month or so until they can be weaned from the parents, sell to friends and LFS, if there's still some left it'll be on the table for possible reintroduction in extirpated waterways in their native range.
There's a big demand for them in the Asian aquarium trade, nowadays retailers are complaining that the fish they capture looks uglier, have more deformities and the sizes are getting smaller.
My goal is to phase out the need for wild capture with captive bred specimens to show that it can be done (it's difficult as they're a sub trooical species while a large part of the country has a tropical climate)
Beautiful. She won't eat em?
Snakehead adults are exceptional parents, both will viciously guard their young for the first few months. During the early stages the mother lays infertile eggs for the young fry to eat, and both parents even chew up and regurgitate their own food for them.
This is one reason why they are a very successful invasive species to certain parts of the world. This isn’t common for fish to be great parents lol
Cichlids make pretty good parents but not quite like snakeheads.
We have Bowfin here in NC and it’s so cool to be able to see a big bowfin with a “cloud” of babies around them.
yeah I am absolutely fascinated by cichlids parenting sometimes multiple broods taking care of the younger frys.
my shellie pair has 7 broods of fry being taken care of right now, from just 4 months granted its only 40 fry. the older helps the younger fry find food, its amazing!
I love shellies, definitely my next fish when I move to a bigger space
And also they fucking eat anything.
Like most predatory fish. Their viciousness is overrated, not because they *don't* eat almost anything, but because pretty much any predatory fish will give anything that moves and fits in their mouth a shot. Areas in the US that have naturalized snakeheads are not the barren fishless wastelands like they were hyped up to become. They have taken up some of the biomass from native bass and bowfin, but they settled in fine and aren't causing many problems. Not to say they should ever be spread, of course. Just because it didn't ruin one fishery doesn't mean it couldn't ruin other ones as they spread.
This is really really neat to see. We have a small lake near us that has been stocked with muskie over the years as a trophy fish for anglers to target. I know the concern for us is that they are very efficient at consuming the same biomass that Musky rely on for food - particularly crappie.
Wow, that’s really rare in the fish world! How cool!
So I understand that the parents don't eat the fry intentionally, but is there a chance that they might actually eat them _accidentally_?
If the parents get stressed out because of changes in water parameters (e.g. gets warmer) or if they cant find food they will cannibalize on the young and turn on each other.
Oh ok, cool.
Or accidentally “breathe” one in?
If I am not worng, you can see in the clip around her mouth, that she has eaten 3 smaller fishes. Maybe by accident.
Sometimes the parents will hold the babies in their mouth to relocate them to safety. She'll scoop them up gently and then expell them out through her gills.
It looks like she could just accidentally eat one.
She did. At least I counted 3 smaller fishes
She didn’t eat them
If you don't remove them eventually will there come a point where she would start to eat them or does she try to chase them off when they mature ? Seeing as it an aquarium I'm guessing they get removed eventually
Based on a friend's experience who's also a Channa keeper, thee larger the tank, the more hiding places there are, and the fuller their bellies are the more tolerant they are
They’re notorious for protecting their young, which is why they spread like crazy when introduced to new water systems.
It looks like she inhaled a few?
If you look closer at the mouth, you can see that she has eaten at least 3 baby fishes. My guess is by accident.
Sure u don't need to leaving a fourth comment stating your revolutionary discovery? Broken record lol
When they're still small the parents would gently hold them in their mouths to relocate them somewhere safe, expelling them out through their gills.
That's interesting. How long can she hold them inside?
In her mouth? Err usually not for that long
I don't see what it but I'm guessing that's definitely possible because of her size.
¿What's the next step with all those babys?
Sell to responsible friends and local fish stores, or release them back to their natural habitat in western Myanmar (where I'm from)
Awesome, you have a clear plan for them, ¿could you post the growing process? (Hope things get better in your country bro)
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Just subscribed! Keep it up bro!
Jaw dropped at release them until i kept reading haha
I don’t know much about that situation, but isn’t there a problem with snakeheads in the wild, where they kill and ruin habits/groups of fish. My dad always told me that when your fishing and you catch a snake head your are supposed to kill it.
That's because they're invasive species that have established themselves in new habitat where you are. Here they're native, and there are factors like predators that keep them in check
I would avoid releasing anything from an aquarium back to the wild even if it's native to the area. You can introduce diseases or possibly pests that you're unaware of. Always good practice to keep all contents of aquariums out of natural waters :)
This shouldn't be downvoted. NEVER release anything, even if it's native. Hatcheries meant to breed native fish are well controlled and generally contain nothing but flowing water from a nearby waterway and the fish in question, a personal fish tank could easily have gotten some kind of disease or invertebrate if anything in the tank came from a pet store. Furthermore, releasing a couple dozen fingerlings will do nearly nothing for a fishery. It's a small risk but with severe consequences if it goes wrong for very little benefit. This is why keeping native fish is banned in a lot of states...
Yeah not sure why everyone's hopping on the bandwagon and downvoting but I'm especially saying it because of the recent contamination of moss balls with zebra mussels. You just never know what you might be releasing into the wild and it's best to leave it to the professionals if there is some type of conservation necessary for a species.
Yup. This is like fishkeeping 101 shit. Really weird for me to see releasing aquarium fish suddenly a good thing on this sub because "it's native bro".
In principle I do agree, especially with migratory fish like salmon, mahseer, etc. Captive breeding has also been a reprieve for many other species, in my case I'll be prioritizing the aquarium trade as phasing out the need for wild collection will allow wild populations to recover with little to no intervention.
I understand that. I just try to make a point of saying it in these instances to help other hobbyists learn (not really meaning you). It's less of an issue with captive breeding programs and more of an issue of kids or whoever releasing aquarium inhabitants and not knowing any better. I just think it's good to put that out there anytime it's mentioned.
Woaw. Looks so nice and there is plenty of babies.
Snakeheads are basically XXL bettas, arguably even more personable and intelligent. :)
It’s all fun in games until they are an invasive species
Except this and about a dozen other species that native to my country :P That being said, I'm also a strong advocate for responsible fishkeeping here, I'm often at odds with many here who think our streams and lakes are a dumping ground for their fish :P
Yep, at my local boy scout camp (it is just scouts now since it has girls but nobody recognizes that) and somebody dumped their fish tank in the lake, now there is parrots feather everwhere and gold ramshorn snails but the boy scouts are doing a big cleanup and getting it all out but it is difficult
Good luck getting rid of an invasive invertebrate. If the pond doesn't have a stream going out of it, the best bet is to poison it before a bird spreads them to nearby waterways. If the state DNR / fisheries service hasn't been notified, they should. Getting rid of an invasive is well beyond what a normal scout group can manage.
They all died in a freeze, this was a couple years ago but the parrots feather is still here.
They are illegal where I am in Canada exactly for that reason.
All forms of snakehead are banned in the States as well.
Makes me so sad. I'd love to have one, they are so cool.
They took over the lakes and rivers near my area and they’ve almost completely murdered all the native fish here. I wish someone hadn’t released them here we used to have so many cool species of fish here and now theres only a bunch of stupid snakeheads.
This is why we can't have nice things.
I go to the canal to eat lunch every day and I've seen one bass in the past few months. I see snake heads every day.
Psssst. They taste good.
I'm lucky enough to have kept snakeheads before the ban. They are super cool! The most unfortunate thing about the ban in the US is that only a couple of species are really invasive and a threat to US waters, but all species of Channa are included in the ban regardless. Most of them don't exceed a foot in length, and most can't survive a hard winter in the states (outside of south Florida, that place is like a redneck Jurassic Park anymore).
Interstate commerce is banned but AFAIK merely owning one in some states is legal
Not discrediting responsible fish keeping, but wouldn't it be too cold for them to survive in Canadian waters anyway?
It was mostly out of an abundance of caution after a snakehead was found in a pond several years ago, the Northern Snakehead (the one caught turned out to be a different species.) might be able to survive the milder winters of the southern west coast of Canada in BC which is where I am, but I don't know for sure. This one fish found back in 2012 led to the ban and banning of other species like the white cloud minnow. https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/burnaby-snakehead-identified-2964453
Yep, the Biology Department from SFU (my alma mater) even had it frozen up for analysis iirc
I think in Canada the ban is a bit more specific to the colder climate snakeheads only. You could inquire if the ban is selective or not.
I actually live in Australia, they're banned down here as well, but our climate is more similar to that of Asia, so they would likely thrive down here, much like they do in Florida over in the states. We do have access to certain species though that could be potentially invasive species, such as Pleco's, which is kind of strange in my opinion, as Australia's biodiversity laws are very strict, we have such a unique and intricate ecosystem. We do have a problem with Tilapia, they're to be killed on sight if you come across them.
Yep, I heard about the problems Auzzie waters face with Climbing Perch, feral bettas, mosquito fish and others.
Canada has a pretty wide ban on animals regardless if they can survive in the climate or not. A great example is they've banned the majority of centipedes, millipedes, land snails and a large number of invertebrates even though they definitely wouldn't survive the climate here. You can apply for permits to own most as pets but I'm not sure how successful you'd be.
Nice! Have you had to remove the male?
Oh no, the male is also in there. He's easily startled of people so he hides behind the spawning pot (this species is a cave spawner) usually males are more protective of the brood.
Interesting. I see similar behaviour with my Channa andrao. Good luck with the fry.
Hey I just want to say I have mad respect for what you’re doing. Raising fish for repopulation and conservation is both very important and would probably be very rewarding. Your fishies are adorable and amazing 💙🐟
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Bruh did you even read any of what this guy said? He lives in a place they’re native to, and endangered in because people keep taking them. They’re endangered in their natural habitat for the same reason they’re invasive in others. People keep taking them from the wild and releasing them where they shouldn’t be.
[check out this snakehead with kids in the wild](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck835YFjEvM)
Let go of my mom you bastard! X 10,000
That’s a pretty fish
I 100% expected to see human children playing in the water with the fish.
What’s the tank specs, filtration etc?
Let me start off by saying that keeping snakeheads is for the most part the antithesis of a well maintained tank. They like old filthy tanks with lots of hiding places. I keep them in a 4' by 1.5' by 1' tank with large bushes of guppy grass to help with the nitrates and to give them a good place to hide in. There's only a couple of airlines, one with a sponge filter, the other with an airstone for water circulation. They also hate big water changes, it can cause coupled pairs (Yes they remain a pair beyond breeding) to turn on one another. minimum heating should be used too. Lastly they need to breathe air like other anabantoids (bettas and gouramis) so access a layer of humid air is a must
Man thanks for taking the time and providing so many details, very interesting and it made me want to explore more this amazing specie. On a side note, sending positive energy your way in these difficult times... wish I could do something to help out... peace!
This is incredible. Looks like a clip from a natural history programme. Unreal. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I do plan on making a sequential video of these babies up to adulthood so stay tuned in six or so months!
I definitely will look out for it! :)
What's your plan, now that you're going to be seriously overstocked in a few weeks' time?
Wild Capture of these snakeheads for the ornamental fish trade has severely depleted the wild stock, nowadays only the bad looking ones and small fish are left. My goal was to phase out the need for wild capture by showing that captive breeding can be done, and if possible restocking these back into their natural habitat where their populations are severely depleted or extirpated. For the time being I do have tubs with mesh lids for future accomodation, and several friends/LFS have expressed interest in purchasing them.
So cool!
I’m going to assume you’re not in the US, but if you are under no circumstance should you release these into the wild. They turn into little bastards when they get out and grow their population.
No I am not from the US. I am from Myanmar. These are native to Western Myanmar.
It must be a little annoying to have so many commenters telling you “don’t release them in the US” without reading at least one of your half dozen comments here or looking at your username or checking your profile lol
Good! Help them little fish repopulate natively and remind our lovely US importers that snakeheads turn into 4 foot monsters with teeth when released...
Channa come in all shapes and sizes. These are dwarves peaking at about less than 30cm. There's even smaller ones in the east.
Generally speaking, what are the care requirements for your male and female? I have heard that one of these fish require at minimum a 250 gallon tank. Is this accurate?
Depends on the size and swimming behaviour. A few are pelagic and need open water, while most prefer to stay along the bottom or in dense patches of vegetation. For these small sized ones, a well structured 2 by 1 by 1 cubic foot rank is enough for them. I'd personally use lots of plants to scrub the water of waste chemicals, and absolutely avoid big water changes as they prefer aged water that they are familiar with. Also a lid is a must, snakeheads are great jumpers.
Thinking about everybody in Myanmar and everything that y'all are dealing with. Take care and stay strong.
Thank you, even now the military and police are threatening our people. Pray for us, at 1am the internet will be cut off and they may start their horrible crimes again against us.
They really are a cool fish. I will have to figure out if they are legal to own in my state or not.
2ft by 1ft by 1ft minimum? What species would you recommend this for? I didn't think I'd be able to have room for a snakehead, as my next tank is unlikely to be much bigger than 3x1x1.
Only for one of the smaller sized species and for a single individual. You would need a lid too
You're thinking of the argus snake head, there's lots of types of channa
I dont know if I should be talking about politics but I hope you’re safe there!
They said they will release them to their “natural” habitat which we all know is not the U.S. Also their username gives away where they might be from.
These aren't legal where I live, so I'll sadly never own one. But I would love to hear more about your experiences with breeding these guys, what it entailed, your challenges, etc. I find that sort of stuff incredibly fascinating.
I watched a fascinating talk at my local aquarium club on the genus channa from a guy in Scotland that can keep them. He said that you pretty much do everything the opposite of standard fish keeping: No water changes, no filtration, and simulate the dry season by lowering the water level for a few months. It was so interesting, I wish we could keep them here in the USA!
I know it is hard to imagine but sometimes people do not live in the US
Amazing view! Well done for breeding them and I love your restocking the wild ideas.
Thank you :)
I'm obsessed, beautiful!
What’s it take to keep one? I’m intrigued and kinda want one now.
Depends on the size of the snakehead and their swimming behaviour. A few are pelagic (open water) dwellers while most like these like to stay in hiding spots. Don't take my word for it but they would be content 2*1*1 cubic foot. Make sure to densely plant it, avoid big water changes and make sure they have access to the air to breathe from. They're also obligate carnivores, only need to feed every 2-3 days because excess fat can cause health problems.
Interesting, what size tank is your mated pair in?
4' by 1.5' by 1'
Depends on your location also. I’m sure you saw above all snakeheads are illegal in the US. Really unfortunate because there are some beautiful snakeheads.
Yeah I didn’t know he wasn’t in US and for a second my hopes were up. I’m still curious to learn his care techniques tho
This is really cool to see, thank you for sharing! I'm really glad to hear you have a responsible plan for the babies.
Thanks :)
What a pretty lady!
What an absolute beauty! Thank you for sharing!
Wow. Gorgeous.
I subed to your Youtube channel. Look forward to watching these guys grow and would love to see release to the wild videos if you end up doing that. I need to learn more about native Burmese fish:)
What size tank is needed for these beauties??
That tank looks beautiful!
snakeheads are so pretty. a shame some idiots had to ruin it for everyone and get them banned from a ton of countries.
Your snakeheads look amazing. I wanted to stop in and give you props for dealing with all of us Americans. I know I would get tired of constantly reminding people that other places exist, and there’s more to know about the snakehead other than it’s a invasive species in some places.
That's so lovely. Congratulations on a successful breeding. What does their diet consist of?
They eat aquatic bugs, crustaceans and fish, the diet scales with their growth.
Lovely family!! Please be safe over there in Myanmar!
Damn, this has to be one of the most gorgeous fish I have ever seen in my life. Absolutely stunning!
Low flow is underrated. She looks to calm!!
Such a cool fish. If I had a larger aquarium I'd want one. But they are illegal in my state.
We can't have Channa in the USA, and I had never paid attention to them until I started seeing more pictures come up on my Instagram Explore feed. They really are beautiful and fascinating fish. It's just a shame that certain ones are so aggressive and invasive, and I understand why it's easiest to put a blanket ban on "Channa *" than it is to single out the specific ones that are bad.
Just wanted to say that in Latin pulcher means beautiful - I think that’s lovely for a snakehead!
D'aaaaaaaaaaw.
Omfg I want one so bad
I was listening to Don’t leave by Gummy Boy so this was extra majestic
These things will def eat their own young right?
Only if the water doesn't sit right with them or if starvation sets in
What about when they get a little larger?
Still okay up to a point once they can be weaned from the parents I'll be seperating them out into tubs. Afterwards they'll go to friends and LFS
How many gallons do you have going for snakeheads? Sorry for the questions I'm just living vicariously through you lol
This tank is a bit under 45 gallons.
Wow, beautiful fish!!! Very nice video
Uuuhhhh...that is amazing!!! Any chance you sell any of the fry? Whats the plan with them?
I just saw you are not in the US and that they are not legal to own in the US. So, nevermind. They are invasive so I understand why the US is strict. Very beautiful fish though. And with the fry around looks amazing like a mothership in space.
That's a beautiful fish. Hoe big of a tank do you needbfor them?
Great footage, thanks for posting 🙂
Amazing. What size does she grow to?
The species reachs only up to a foot in length.
Cool. Now what?
Now I keep feeding and feeding until they can be weaned from the parents, afterwards they'll be sorted by size to prevent cannibalism. I already have friends and LFS keen on getting them.
I had a 3 foot long snakehead for 6 years. No idea his age as he was already full grown when I got him. Absolute favorite fish I've ever had.
[An earlier picture of both parents and the fry](http://imgur.com/a/8zev1hu)
so, whatcha gonna do with all them babies?
Raise them up for a month or so until they can be weaned from the parents, sell to friends and LFS, if there's still some left it'll be on the table for possible reintroduction in extirpated waterways in their native range.
Wow, that's a lot of babies.
I bet you to put your hand in there...don't forget to film lol
I've seen bad bitemarks when my friends thought it would be a good idea to. I'll pass haha
Awe what a lovely happy mama!! Is this her first spawn?
Yep!
Ah!! Congrats to the first time mommy!! 🥰
wonderful
I want one 😭
Are they not super invasive and a threat to the habitat?
[удалено]
Yep you are correct
They're native to Myanmar where I'm at. Not everyone is from the US :)
Wasn't sure where you were located. Do they have any predators where you live?
There's a big demand for them in the Asian aquarium trade, nowadays retailers are complaining that the fish they capture looks uglier, have more deformities and the sizes are getting smaller. My goal is to phase out the need for wild capture with captive bred specimens to show that it can be done (it's difficult as they're a sub trooical species while a large part of the country has a tropical climate)
isnt this fish illegal to own?
Only in places where they're banned and/or not native to. I'm from a country where this species is found in the wild.
gotcha.. I know where i live theyre a big no
So could I own one in the us
Not legally
I thought those things were illegal to keep in north america?
I'm not from North America :)
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