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Federal restrictions apply

Ocellated snakehead

Channa pleurophthalma

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

Channa pleurophthalma, the ocellated snakehead, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the snakehead family Channidae.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Expert / facility

FamilySnakeheads

Adult lengthup to 15.7 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 78 in long and 30 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 15.7 in / 40 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.

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 94 × 24 in (roughly 228 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–82 °F, pH 6–7.5, 2–12 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament species tank; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; 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.”

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

About this animal

It is native to Indonesia.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Channa pleurophthalma” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

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. Occurs in areas with black and clear waters.
Water it lives in	Freshwater.
Climate	Tropical climate.

FishBase species summary: Channa pleurophthalma

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 89°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 72°F (down to 71°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	79–81°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	79–82% on average (driest month about 76%)
Rainfall	about 2652 mm a year, spread fairly evenly

Measured at 14 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

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	Channa pleurophthalma, the ocellated snakehead, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the snakehead family Channidae. It is native to Indonesia. — 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	As other snakehead species, the body of Channa pleurophthalma is cylindrical and laterally flattened. This species has an iridescent greenish or bluish basic color (however, the belly is usually yellowish), and there are three large black ocelli, which are outlined in orange, in the middle of the body. There is an additional ocellus on the opercle and on the caudal fin. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Biology	Obligate air-breathing; Occurs in areas with black and clear waters. — FishBase
History and naming	Channa pleurophthalma was formally described in 1851 by Pieter Bleeker as Ophiocephalus pleurophthalmus with the type locality given as Bandjarmasin, in Borneo. The specific name is a compound of the Greek terms pleuro- (meaning "side") and ophthalmus (meaning "eye"), a reference to the ocelli on its flanks, opercle and caudal fin. — 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.

Adult length

Average of sources14.8in

FishBase 16415.7

Seriously Fish species profiles 16713.8

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

Water temperature

Reported72–82°F

Seriously Fish species profiles 16772–82

Range the species tolerates; aim for the middle.

pH

Reported6–7.5

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676–7.5

Water hardness

Reported2–12dGH

Seriously Fish species profiles 1672–12

Minimum tank footprint

Reported94in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16794

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 94 × 24 in (about 228 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:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial)
14 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

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.