Rainbow snakehead

Scientific name: Channa bleheri

Pronunciation: Cha-nah ble-her-eye

Size: Around 15-17cm

Origin: Endemic to northeastern India, specifically Assam and Arunachal Pradesh

Habitat: Forest swamp, where the fish spends much of its time in burrows between wet seasons

Tank size: 120x30x30cm

Water requirements: Soft and acidic to slightly alkaline water; 6.0-7.6pH, 2-16°H

Temperature: 14-28°C

Temperament: Relatively peaceful but territorial, can be kept with tankmates over two-thirds its own size

Feeding: Small meaty chunks; earthworm, bloodworm, lancefish, prawns, mussels and river shrimp

Availability and cost: Popular and reasonably common, prices starting from around £35

Arguably the most tempting of all snakeheads for the casual aquarist to keep, the Rainbow is not only the prettiest but also one of the smallest and most commonly bought for a community. Despite the small size it’s still a ravenous predator and any small fish will be snatched in the blink of an eye. Like other seasonal snakeheads, the problem with keeping it in a community, even with fish too big to eat, is that it will only flourish in set-ups where the temperature follows a seasonal cycle, dipping to 18°C or below for the winter.

There have been some historic concerns about overfishing of wild specimens for the industry, but in reality, many more are caught for food, literally harvested from their muddy burrows by hand and taken for the cooking pot. Thankfully, it’s a prolific breeder in the aquarium setting, and so you’re now as likely to be offered a cultured fish as a wild caught one.

Ask your retailer about the source if you have concerns on this front.

Despite being marketed as one of the more peaceful species, be aware that territorial disputes can and will occur, so any tank needs to be planned with plenty of decoration to break lines of sight.