TankBud

Rainbow snakehead

Channa bleheri

Also known as Assam snakehead, Bleher's snakehead

FreshwaterFish

Rainbow snakehead (Channa bleheri)
Mirko Hartig · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
59–77°F
15–25°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
7.9 in
20 cm
Minimum tank
42 gal
160 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg layer · Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Channidae
Origin
Native to the Brahmaputra basin in Assam, northeast India, in small streams, ponds and marshes.

Overview

The rainbow snakehead is a manageable snakehead for a cool, well-planted tank. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

Rainbow snakeheads can survive brief spells out of water, and they can wriggle overland between pools.

Caring for the rainbow snakehead

Give the rainbow snakehead a well-planted tank of at least 42 gal (160 L). Like all snakeheads it can jump, so fit a very tight, escape-proof lid.

Keep the water cooler, at 59 to 77°F (15 to 25°C) with a seasonal dip, and the pH at 6.0 to 7.5. Feed prawns, earthworms, insects and other meaty foods.

Rainbow snakeheads are mostly peaceful and can be kept as a pair or a small group. Choose dither fish too large for them to eat, and add any tank mates with caution.

Unlike most snakeheads, the rainbow snakehead does not mouthbrood. The pair guards a raft of floating eggs and the fry at the surface. Breeding them is a moderate challenge.

Good to know

The rainbow snakehead is one of the true dwarf snakeheads in the family Channidae. It is marked with orange, blue and red on the flanks and fins. It lacks pelvic fins, a feature it shares with only a few close relatives. It is an air-breather and surfaces regularly for a gulp of air.

In the wild

The rainbow snakehead is native to the Brahmaputra basin in Assam, northeast India. It lives in small, cool, subtropical hill streams, as well as ponds and marshes. In the wild it spends much of its time hovering among plants and wood.

Common questions

What size tank does a rainbow snakehead need?

A rainbow snakehead needs at least 42 gal (160 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a rainbow snakehead need?

A rainbow snakehead is comfortable at 59–77°F (15–25°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a rainbow snakehead eat?

A rainbow snakehead eats prawns, earthworms, insects and other meaty foods.

How big does a rainbow snakehead get?

An adult rainbow snakehead reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).

How does a rainbow snakehead breed?

A rainbow snakehead pair guards a raft of floating eggs, then the fry, at the surface. Unlike most snakeheads it does not mouthbrood, and breeding it is a moderate challenge.

Related species