Snakehead Fish Facts

Aquarium Fish?
Definitely is! The Snakehead fish can be kept in a fish tank or aquarium.

Pond Fish?
Yes, this fish can be kept in ponds. However, you need to be careful not to let small children near the pond!

Fish Farming Potential?
Believe it or not, there are species of Snakehead that are commercially important food fish. Some view them as having medicinal properties while others just love eating em just like any other fish humans eat.

Predator?
a HUGE YES! This formidable fish is the ultimate predator. Stalks, chooses and goes for the kill.

Size?
As aquarium fish, this fish tend to be sold finger size. They can grow in captivity to easily the size of a mans arm to perhaps as large as his thigh. In the wild, they say, small dugouts can be rocked about by the big ones.

Food Eaten?
Live Food only! Smaller fish, frogs and probably any creature it can get its mouth around. (You can limit its diet to just smaller fish if you are keeping it in a fish tank).

Aquarium Fish Disease?
This large fish is susceptible to 'hole in the head' disease. Thats right, as the name implies, holes in its head develop and if not treated will surely kill it.

Money Value?
This fish is sold cheap when young. Some species have commercial value as food fish. The large ones such as the Giant Snakehead fish may look aesthetically pleasing when they are mature adults. They do not fetch high prices as ornamental fish though, unless they are really big or perhaps unusual (I have seen one that is bent into an 'S' shape somehow! This really had NO value.. as in priceless). As an invasive species in the United States, both the Giant and Northern Snakeheads are more of a liability to the ecosystem than having any real value (other than perhaps a bounty being offered for any caught by fishermen).

Aquarium Fish Compatibility?
As a predator, this fish can either be solitary (cos you know its going to kick all the other fishes butt.. i.e. if they had butts!) OR they can be kept with fish of similar size over time (i.e. they grow in size together). They can also be kept together with their same species, again preferably growing together over time. Its probably a big NO NO to mix a mature Snakehead fish with any other fish suddenly. Likely, the Snakehead may just kill the rest.

Common Fish Names?
In the Malay speaking areas of Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and South Thailand, the various Snakehead fish are called:

Toman (pronounced 'Toe' 'Mun' (like the 'bun' in bread bun)),

Haruan (pronounced 'Ha' (like in harpoon) 'Roo' (as in Kangaroo) 'Wan' (as in the number 'one')).

They get into deeper varieties obviously such as 'Toman Bunga' (Flower Toman) but Toman and Haruan are generally understood.

According to Wikipedia, Snakeheads are known in Vietnam as:
Ca Loc, ca Qua, or Ca Chuoi

And in Thailand as:
Pla Chon

While in Philippines as:
dalag, haloan, and mudfish

In the US, I would think they are known as snakeheadzilla :)

Freshwater or Saltwater?
Totally freshwater species.

Little known fact?
This fish gulps air! Thats right, it can breathe air and therefore can thrive in low oxygen environments.

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