Tag Archives: gachua

Channa sp. Laos Fireback

17. January 2020

For the first time we received this splendid snakehead in the year 2011. It obviously represents a species unknown to science so far. I reminds one strongly to the far spread and variety rich species C. gachua, but the “Fireback” is much bigger, reaching 15 -20 cm (some sources give even 25 cm), it lacks the stripes in the pectoral fins, which are so characteristical for gachua and of course the “Fireback” has the broad, bright orange seams in the dorsal and the caudal fin that are responsible for its popular name. The geographical part of the popular name is misleading, the species originates from northern Thailand.

This species is – like all members of the C. gachua relationship – a mouthbrooder with biparental broodcare. Males and females can be distinguished best by a look from above. The males have a much broader head than the females.

With the exception of the breeding season these snakeheads are strictly solitary fish and keeping them together with other fish – it does not matter whether these fish are conspecifics or belong to a completely different group of fish – is always a high risk. Channa sp. Laos Fireback are large, predatory fish that need substantial food, like feeder fish, earthworms, mealworms, crickets and so on.

For our customers: the fish have code 409394 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Channa: ancient Greek, means “snapper”, probably referring to the airbreathing. gachua: after a native name for the fish in Bengal.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Channa sp. „Burmese Red Rim Rainbow“

18. August 2017

Finally we were able to import a number of specimens of this exttemely beautiful, small species of snakehead from Burma. The fish attain a maximum length of about 12-15 cm and are a close relative of Channa gachua. However, the body of „Red Rim“ is much more depressed. In respect of coloration one feature makes „Red Rim“ unique: a great number of small black dots, which are lacking in almost all other members of the Channa-gachua-complex.

One year ago we obtained the first specimen of this new species. That animal had no red rim along the caudal fin, but our current imports have. This obviously is rather an individual character, a phenomenon known in other species of the Channa-gachua-complex, too. Hobbyists specialized in snakeheads know that dwarf also under the name of Channa sp. „Red Fin“.

This is a subtropical species and should not be kept the whole year through at high water temperatures. It s also very likely that „Red Rim“ usually lives in flowing water. When the fish are kept indoors they do not need an additional heater. During the warm season they can be kept even in outdoor tanks, but one has to make sure that the snakeheads by no means can get out of the tank. „Red Rim“ prefers to feed on insects (crickets etc.), but they also feed readily all usual types of frozen or live fishfood as long as it is not too tiny. Most probably „Red Rim“ is a mouthbrooder like Channa gachua.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer