Freshwater
Red seam snakehead
Channa gachua
Channidae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 32.9 cm
- Body shape
- Elongated
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 873 liters
- Diet
- Missing
Know what is missing? Suggest it in the app.
Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
NativeIntroduced
Lives wild in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, and 9 more countries.
Introduced to Hong Kong SAR China.
Videos
Snorkeling with 3 Wild Betta Species in Thailand | EP 3 Betta in the Wild
Rodrigo SilvaJun 18, 2026
The Endangered Fish of Thailand’s Peat Swamps and Forest Streams | EP 2 Betta in the Wild
Rodrigo SilvaMay 29, 2026
Snorkeling With Freshwater Puffers | Exploring Southern Thailand EP3
Rodrigo SilvaJan 16, 2026
More about the species
Description
Found in hill streams. Adults inhabit medium to large rivers, brooks, rapid-running mountain streams and stagnant water bodies including sluggish flowing canals. Feed at night on small fish, insects and crustaceans. Exhibit parental care, with the male brooding eggs and fry in his mouth.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Channa gachus
- Channa limbata
- Ophicephalus apus
- Ophicephalus gachua
- Ophicephalus limbatus
- Ophicephalus marginatus
In other languages
- Rødsømmet slangehovedfisk
- Konnakäärmeenpää
- Dwarf snakehead
Articles
All articles
Fish that get along4 min read
Temperament, fin nippers, fish that eat other fish, and fish that need the same water. And what the Harmony mark in the app means.
How to set up an Asian aquarium5 min read
Two aquariums from Southeast Asia: calm forest streams and peat swamps with soft, brown water, and fast mountain streams with cool, oxygen-rich water.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.