Home / Fishes / Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads / Forest snakehead
Federal restrictions applyForest snakehead
Channa lucius
Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Channidae (Snakeheads)
The forest snakehead (Channa lucius) is a species of snakehead, a fish of the family Channidae.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 102 in long and 42 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 20.9 in / 53 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–79°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.
- 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
- 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, 68–86 °F, pH 5–7.5, 2–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: in a pair; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Prefers a dimly-lit aquarium with plenty of cover in the form of live plants, driftwood branches, terracotta pipes, plant pots, etc., arranged to form a network of nooks, crannies, and shaded spots.”
- Diet: “An obligate predator feeding mostly on smaller fishes and insects in nature but in most cases adapting well to dead alternatives in captivity.”
- Breeding: “A biparental free spawner with the eggs simply floating at the surface post-spawning.”
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
Its range includes most of Southeast Asia and parts of southern China. It lives in forest streams and can reach 40 cm (16 in) in length.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Forest 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, in rivers and streams, lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabits slow moving streams and rivers, as well as lakes, ponds. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–79 °F (22–26 °C). |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–79 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 90°F (up to 96°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 71°F (down to 63°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 78–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 76–81% on average (driest month about 74%) |
| Rainfall | about 2402 mm a year |
Measured at 146 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 forest snakehead (Channa lucius) is a species of snakehead, a fish of the family Channidae. Its range includes most of Southeast Asia and parts of southern China. It lives in forest streams and can reach 40 cm in length. The forest snakehead is known in Thai language as pla krasong. — 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 | It has a distinct series of port-hole markings on the side and has a more tapering head compared to other snakeheads. Juveniles are pale and have three lateral stripes from head to tail. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Obligate air-breathing; Inhabits slow moving streams and rivers, as well as lakes, ponds and swamps. A common species in forest streams. Often found in areas with plenty of aquatic vegetation, as well as submerged woody plants. — FishBase |
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.
Adult length
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
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 59 × 24 in (about 143 US gallons).
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.
More snakeheads
Assamese snakehead
Channa stewartii
Aquarium hobby
Baram snakehead
Channa baramensis
Aquarium hobby
Barca snakehead
Channa barca
Aquarium hobby
Blotched snakehead
Channa maculata
Aquarium hobby
Bluefinned snakehead
Channa bleheri
Aquarium hobby
Ceylon snakehead
Channa orientalis
Aquarium hobby