Bullseye snakehead

Care at a glance

Overview

The bullseye snakehead is a large predator for a very large freshwater tank. It is a fish for experienced keepers.

Caring for the bullseye snakehead

The bullseye snakehead needs at least 396 gal (1,500 L), with a long footprint and a heavy, sealed lid. Confirm it is legal to keep where you live before you take one on.

Keep it at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) and pH 6.5 to 7.5. Feed prawns, fish, earthworms and other meaty foods.

It is predatory, territorial and aggressive, so keep it singly or with very large, robust tank mates only. Breeding it in a tank is hard.

Good to know

The bullseye snakehead, Channa marulius, is an elongate predator and one of the larger snakeheads. It is named for the dark eyespot ringed in orange at the base of the tail. It is an air-breather that can survive in stagnant, low-oxygen water. Established invasive populations exist in parts of the United States.

In the wild

The bullseye snakehead is native to rivers, lakes and canals across South and Southeast Asia, from India through Thailand. Adults are strong swimmers that hunt fish and crustaceans.

Common questions

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