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Federal restrictions applyGreat snakehead
Channa marulius
Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Channidae (Snakeheads)
Channa marulius, the bullseye snakehead or great snakehead, is a large species of snakehead native to South Asia.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 90 in long and 36 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 18.1 in / 46 cm; the largest recorded was 72.0 in).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 75–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
- Safety: Can injure people (sharp spines, teeth or electric shock): use nets and care when working in the tank.
- Availability: Mostly kept by public aquariums; private keeping is uncommon.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Warnings
Care guide
Species care notes
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 59–82 °F, pH 6–8, 2–20 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament species tank; kept alone; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Relatively unfussy although some surface cover in the form of floating or overhanging vegetation or branches is appreciated.”
- Diet: “An obligate predator which probably feeds on smaller fishes, amphibians and terrestrial insects in nature but in most cases adapts well to dead alternatives in captivity.”
- Tankmates: “Best-maintained in a species-specific aquarium.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Snakeheads
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Asian and African rivers. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Not available legally in most of the U.S.
Diet
- Predatory: fish and meaty foods.
Health watch
- All snakeheads are federally listed injurious wildlife.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
Populations in Southeast Asia are now regarded as separate species.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Channa marulius” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams, lakes, mangroves. Uses both the bottom and open water. Adults occur in sluggish or standing water in canals, lakes, and swamps. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 75–82 °F (24–28 °C). |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: nesters, biparental parental care. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 75–82 °F.
- Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 94°F (up to 106°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 54°F (down to 45°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 73–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 58–75% on average (driest month about 52%) |
| Rainfall | about 1531 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 91 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Channa marulius, the bullseye snakehead or great snakehead, is a large species of snakehead native to South Asia. Populations in Southeast Asia are now regarded as separate species. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | Builds floating nest of weeds and leaves where the orange-yellow eggs are deposited. Eggs hatch in 36 to 48 hours and fry remain in the nest for about 10 days after hatching. Parents guards the fry for about a month. — FishBase |
| Biology | Obligate air-breathing; Adults occur in sluggish or standing water in canals, lakes, and swamps. Theyinhabit waters with submerged aquatic vegetation. Usually found only in deep pools in rivers and occasionally in lakes. — FishBase |
| History and naming | C. marulius—as traditionally defined—is a species complex. A study published in 2017 showed that C. pseudomarulius, formerly regarded as a synonym of C. marulius, is a valid species from the southern Western Ghats. A genetic study published the same year showed that C. marulius consisted of three clearly separated lineages (not counting the already separated C. pseudomarulius). — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Common length to maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Evaluation of cytochrome b mtDNA sequences in genetic diversity studies of Channa marulius (Channidae: Perciformes) Habib M et al., Molecular biology reports 2011
- Epizootic ulcerative syndrome caused by Aphanomyces invadans in captive bullseye snakehead Channa marulius collected from south Florida, USA Saylor RK et al., Diseases of aquatic organisms 2010
- Molecular characterization of Aeromonas hydrophila detected in Channa marulius and Sperata sarwari sampled from rivers of Punjab in Pakistan Mahmood S et al., PloS one 2024
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- 50 CFR Part 16: Injurious wildlife (Lacey Act) Zoo, university or veterinaryCurrent federal regulation, read from eCFR.
- U.S. Association of Reptile Keepers v. Zinke (D.C. Cir. 2017) Zoo, university or veterinaryAppeals ruling that the Lacey Act's shipping ban does not cover moves between the continental states.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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