Rainbow snakehead

[electroshadow]

Recently pick up a rainbow snakehead from a LFS as I couldn't leave it to be left in a 28c tank!

Now happily settled in to a 30g (UK) at 20c and colours showing nicely. Now the channa is happily eating high protein catfish pellets along with some smelt 3 times a week. Now my question is, is it OK to feed a channa pellets as a staple food ?

Every where on the internet is says rainbows aren't aggressive, do they normally try eating your hand when cleaning the tank?:sly:

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[Calc]

It is ok to feed them pellets as staple food and no it will not eat your hand.

 

[-DC-]

Hey,

Yes you can convert them over to pellets.

Although I'd recommend insects as a staple diet for sub tropical snakeheads if possible , I feed insects as a staple and mix in both pellets and chopped shrimp as well from time to time.

I feed sparingly and I still find that if I include too much shrimp or pellets in the diet they get fat/obese quickly especially adults, so if it's the main diet watch for unhealthy weight gain and cut back feedings when needed. I dont run into this problem when I feed insects and I also find you'll get nicer fins and colors from the insect diet.

hope that helps !

 

[marconi]

I wish I could buy a snakehead here

 

[-DC-]

oops I missed the aggression part...

Yes, It's normal for them to be aggressive once they settle in and claim a territory. A bleheri will never be big enough to really hurt you but I've had snakeheads as small as 3" try on many occasions!

I've read that bleheri are less aggressive then "other snakeheads" but in my opinion Bleheri are no more docile then other snakeheads, I think it's a myth/misunderstanding fed by the combination of 2 things.

1) they are a smaller species, so right away they given more space because owners have room for appropriate sized tanks and in turn it'll take longer for a group to turn on each other and there is more space to hide when they do.

2) They are sub tropical and unfortunately often kept in tropical temps, this makes them lethargic/unhealthy/stressed which cuts back the aggression. This eventually leads to death of the fish.

If healthy and happy they defend there territory aggressively just like any other species.

 

[gigas12]

Hi,I agree with DC!

 

[electroshadow]

My rainbow has happily been eating smelt and pellets, but I thought I better treat him to some live food. Meal worms, locus at crickets...... Now today I find my snakehead has been making pets out of his food



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[electroshadow]

Anyone know how to sex a snakehead?

Thinking about starting a little breeding project?

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[-DC-]

I can try to sex them if you can get some clear side shot's , in order to get a breeding pair you would have to start with several small ones and a pair will form from the group . You then separate the others if you get a chance too before the pair kills them.

In my experience with snake heads is that once they have been kept solo they wont tolerate another snakehead around, it'll likely attack any mate you attempt to introduce

 

[Brucki]

Hi,

to sex bleheri and sp. Assam pictures from the headshape taken from above can help, together with sideshots from the belly. But bellypics are often not very useful with young females that havent bred yet. They do not show the female bellyline correctly (too slim)