TankBud

Bullseye snakehead

Channa marulius

Also known as Great snakehead, Cobra snakehead, Murrel

FreshwaterFish

Bullseye snakehead (Channa marulius)
Père Igor · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
47.2 in
120 cm
Minimum tank
396 gal
1,500 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Channidae
Origin
Native to rivers, lakes and canals across South and Southeast Asia, from India through Thailand.

Overview

A large predator reaching about 120 cm, it needs at least 1500 litres with a long footprint and a heavy, sealed lid. Keep it at 22 to 28 C and pH 6.5 to 7.5. It is predatory and territorial, so keep it singly or with very large robust tankmates only. Feed prawns, fish, earthworms and other meaty foods, and confirm it is legal to keep where you live.

In the wild

The bullseye snakehead is a large, elongate predator named for the dark eyespot ringed in orange at the base of the tail. It is found in rivers, lakes and canals across a wide Asian range. Adults are strong swimmers that hunt fish and crustaceans.

Good to know

Channa marulius commonly reaches around 120 cm and is one of the larger snakeheads. It is an air-breather that can survive in stagnant, low-oxygen water. Established invasive populations exist in parts of the United States.

Did you know

The tail eyespot is thought to work as a false eye, drawing an attacker's strike away from the real head.

Common questions

What size tank does a Bullseye snakehead need?

A Bullseye snakehead needs at least 396 gal (1,500 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Bullseye snakehead need?

A Bullseye snakehead is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

How big does a Bullseye snakehead get?

An adult Bullseye snakehead reaches about 47.2 in (120 cm).

Related species