Home / Fishes / Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads / Malabar snakehead
Federal restrictions applyMalabar snakehead
Channa diplogramma
Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Channidae (Snakeheads)
The Malabar snakehead (Channa diplogramma) is a vulnerable species of snakehead from fresh water in the Western Ghats in India.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Water: Freshwater.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Availability: Rarely or never seen in the aquarium trade; expect to source it from specialists or not at all.
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, 72–90 °F, pH 6–8, 2–20 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament species tank; in a pair; 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
Until 2011, its scientific name was usually considered to be a synonym of C. micropeltes, the giant snakehead.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Malabar snakehead” (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. Uses both the bottom and open water. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 92°F (up to 98°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 67°F (down to 55°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 74–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 75–78% on average (driest month about 68%) |
| Rainfall | about 2996 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 7 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 | The Malabar snakehead (Channa diplogramma) is a vulnerable species of snakehead from fresh water in the Western Ghats in India. Until 2011, its scientific name was usually considered to be a synonym of C. micropeltes, the giant snakehead. — 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 |
| Biology | C. diplogramma shows multiple colour phases during its life history, which makes local fishers believe that they are different species. The different specimens are also known by different vernacular names (pulivaka, karivaka, manalvaka, and charalvaka). All these specimen in different colour phases occur sympatrically and use the same ecological habitats. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| History and naming | Sir Francis Day described Ophiocephalus diplogramma in 1865 based on one juvenile specimen (42 mm in length) collected near the mouth of the Cochin River in the port city of Cochin (southwestern India) and called it Malabar snakehead. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Conservation | The Malabar snakehead is listed as a vulnerable species in the IUCN Red List in view of its restricted distribution, and threats including fishing, habitat loss, and pollution. — 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.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Adult length
Sources for this sheet
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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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