Bay snook

Care at a glance

Overview

A single adult needs a tank of at least 570 liters at 25 to 30 C and pH 7.0 to 8.0. Provide open swimming room with wood or rock cover. Feed meaty foods and quality pellets, and avoid live feeder fish. It is a predator that eats smaller fish, but it is comparatively shy and not a territorial brawler.

In the wild

The bay snook lives on the Atlantic slope from the Grijalva to the Usumacinta systems in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. It occupies lakes and slow lower river reaches over soft bottoms. This is a large ambush predator with a specialized feeding style. It needs a big tank with open water and cover to lurk in.

Good to know

Petenia splendida was described by Gunther in 1862 and is the only species in its genus. It reaches about 50 cm and has highly protrusible jaws that shoot forward to engulf prey. Color ranges from wild green and silver to a leucistic red form sold as the red bay snook.

Did you know

Its telescoping jaws can extend to more than a quarter of its body length, letting it snatch prey from open water.

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