Home / Fishes / Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads / Orange-spotted snakehead

Federal restrictions apply

Orange-spotted snakehead

Channa aurantimaculata

Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Channidae (Snakeheads)

The orange-spotted snakehead (Channa aurantimaculata) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the snakehead family Channidae.

Intro from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Expert / facility

FamilySnakeheads

Adult lengthup to 15.7 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 72 in long and 30 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 14.3 in / 36.2 cm).
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

Federal legal status: Federal restrictions apply. See the federal legal snapshot and check your state rules before getting one.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 59 × 24 in (roughly 143 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 50–82 °F, pH 6–8, 2–20 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament species tank.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Prefers a dimly-lit aquarium with a layer of surface vegetation such as Ceratopteris spp.”
Diet: “An obligate predator which probably feeds on smaller fishes and insects in nature but in most cases adapts well to dead alternatives in captivity.”
Tankmates: “Best-maintained in a species-specific aquarium.”
Breeding: “A paternal mouthbrooder which has been bred infrequently in aquaria.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

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.

Sources 117 119 164 118 177

Diet

Predatory: fish and meaty foods.

Sources 117 119 164 118 177

Health watch

All snakeheads are federally listed injurious wildlife.

Sources 117 119 164 118 177

Understanding the animal

This species is part of a group that hobbyists, aviculturists or zoos keep widely (Snakeheads), so it's included for completeness. It may be rare in captivity itself, or not kept at all. Use the group guide as a starting point and look for species-specific advice from experienced keepers.

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.

FishBase species summary: Channa aurantimaculata

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 orange-spotted snakehead (Channa aurantimaculata) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the snakehead family Channidae. — 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
Appearance and size	The body of this snakehead is brownish, with several vertical orange stripes on it. Males have taller dorsal fins with more intense coloration, as well as narrower heads. The orange-spotted snakehead grows to 40 cm. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Biology	The orange-spotted snakehead is probably a mouthbrooder, like most other smaller snakeheads. Like many other anabantiforms, this species is capable of breathing air, and will actually suffocate if it cannot reach the surface for a prolonged period of time. — Wikipedia (community-edited)

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Typical adult weight

Reported15.7oz

FishBase 16415.7

Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).

Adult length

Average of sources15in

FishBase 16414.3

Seriously Fish species profiles 16715.7

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Reported50–82°F

Seriously Fish species profiles 16750–82

Range the species tolerates; aim for the middle.

pH

Reported6–8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676–8

Water hardness

Reported2–20dGH

Seriously Fish species profiles 1672–20

Minimum tank footprint

Reported59in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16759

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 59 × 24 in (about 143 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

Federal restrictions apply

Federal injurious wildlife (Lacey Act). Listed in 50 CFR 16.13. Importing it into the U.S., or shipping it to or from Hawaii, Puerto Rico or U.S. territories, is prohibited without a USFWS permit (issued only for zoological, educational, medical or scientific purposes). Under USARK v. Zinke (2017), the federal rule does not bar moving animals between the 49 continental states, but many states ban these species themselves. 177 189

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

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.
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.

Orange-spotted snakehead

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Warnings

Care guide

Species care notes

Snakeheads

Housing & setup

Diet

Health watch

Understanding the animal

In the wild

From the sources

Data and studies

The numbers

Typical adult weight

Adult length

Water temperature

pH

Water hardness

Minimum tank footprint

Sources for this sheet

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