Family: Channidae
rainbow snakehead — a Channidae from NE India, predatory and best kept alone or in a carefully planned pair. Reaches 10.8–15.8 cm; singles for life; a true pair is the exception. 22–27 °C.
A Channidae species native to NE India: Channa bleheri lives bottom-dwelling over still and slow waters among vegetation. Predatory and best kept alone or in a carefully planned pair. Adults reach 10.8–15.8 cm. It is one of the aquarium-kept Channa species we profile, alongside Channa argus, Channa asiatica, Channa aurantimaculata.
Moderate — much easier than the giant snakehead but fussier than ordinary tropicals. The core trio: keep one alone or a carefully formed pair, weigh the lid down (highest jump rating), and hold 22–27 °C steady. Meet these and it's one of the most beautiful channids.
It comes from the Brahmaputra drainage in Assam, India. Under subdued light, adults flash iridescent purple, blue, green and gold as they move — like a swimming rainbow — hence rainbow snakehead. Color intensity directly reflects husbandry quality.
Hard, and risky. The usual route is buying 6–8 juveniles and letting them pair off naturally — a bonded couple stays inseparable and co-parents. Forcing two unfamiliar adults together usually ends in injuries. A successful pairing is the proudest moment in channid keeping.
Strictly carnivorous: whole small fish, shrimp and large carnivore pellets for adults. Pellet-train from youth: establish the feeding reflex with live foods, then mix in pellets gradually — after a day or two of hunger they usually accept. A hungry snakehead recovers far more easily than an overfed one.
Adults reach 15.8 cm; a solo fish deserves 300 L or more. It needs swimming room and territory boundaries — large driftwood, rock groups or dense plant strips help it map its domain. Bare big water suits it better than a cramped aquascape.
Three common causes: new-tank stress (dim lights, leave it 2–3 days), temperature too low (metabolism drops under 20 °C), or disliked food (try live foods). If accompanied by darkened color or gasping, suspect water quality — test ammonia first.
Among the easier snakeheads. A bonded pair builds a floating nest together, lays buoyant eggs and co-guards eggs and fry — rare cooperative breeding in the family. Hold 25–27 °C and stable water level through incubation; fry take newly hatched brine shrimp.
Yes. The comfort zone is 22–27 °C; anywhere winters drop room temperature below 20 °C requires heating. It tolerates slight chill but not swings — keep water-change temperature gaps under 2 °C.
Yes. They're a low-light species, and harsh direct light keeps them stressed and dark. Shade part of the surface with floating plants (water lettuce, lilies) and provide dim zones — you'll see better color and more activity.
C. bleheri tops out around 16 cm with fine speckling and purple-blue iridescence; the golden cobra (C. aurantimaculata) is larger and stockier with an orange-gold base and ocelli; the marulioides has big plum-blossom blotches. Prices vary two-fold to several-fold — always buy by Latin name.