Leopard Snakehead Fish - A to Z Guide for Beginners

The Leopard Snakehead (Channa Argus) is a large, aggressive, independent freshwater aquarium fish with beautiful colors and leopard-like spotted patterns.

The Leopard Snakehead fish is a large freshwater aquarium fish with a striking appearance with shiny fins with spotted patterns like those of leopards. In addition, it is very brave and has interesting hunting habits, a formidable hunter loved by many aquarium hobbyists.

If you are interested and want to know more information about leopard snakehead fish, please follow the article below of ornamental snakehead fish !

Origin of Channa Argus

Leopard snakehead fish or Channa Argus.

The leopard snakehead fish, scientifically known as Channa Argus, is also known as the Chinese snakehead fish. They are found in freshwater lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds in countries such as China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. They prefer calm, slow-moving water environments with plenty of hiding places and food.

Nowadays, thanks to its beautiful appearance, this fish is very popular in the aquarium world and is often bred and propagated in fish farms. However, in some countries such as the US, it is considered an invasive fish and is at risk of affecting the native ecosystem because of its aggressive and omnivorous nature.

Characteristics of leopard snakehead fish

The distinctive appearance of a leopard snakehead fish.

As the name suggests, the leopard snakehead fish has a striking appearance with mottled spots like the fur of a leopard. To learn more about the morphology of this fish, please follow the information below.

• Size : In the natural environment, an adult leopard snakehead fish can be from 80 cm - 1 meter long, however in the aquarium environment, their size is usually smaller from 30 - 50 cm.
• Body : Long, tapered, slender but extremely muscular, large head, pointed snout.
• Eyes : Large, round, located near the top of the head.
• Scales : Large, thick, diamond shaped or similar scales to other ornamental snakehead species, however they look much more glossy.
• Leopard pattern : The body has a gray or light blue background, with black spots and dots that look like leopard skin, distributed along the body creating a very impressive color.
• Dorsal fin : Extends from the middle of the back to near the tail, quite pointed.
• Pelvic and ventral fins : The pectoral fins are well developed and help with direction control. The ventral fins are not large but also play an important role in navigation and balance.
• Caudal fin : Slightly round and wide shape, helps the fish move faster.

Behavior of leopard snakehead fish

Leopard snakehead fish like to hide and live alone.

Join us as we delve into the predatory, territorial, reproductive, and migratory habits of the Chinese snakehead fish to see if it is as aggressive as many other ornamental snakehead fish!

Highly territorial & aggressive

Being a carnivorous fish, leopard snakehead fish are also highly territorial like other fish of the same family. They do not accept other fish encroaching on their territory, if so, they will be ready to attack fiercely.

Efficient hunting behavior

They are very effective hunters. Normally, this fish will hide in seaweed, moss, caves or even the bottom of the lake and wait for prey to come near, then rush out to attack strongly and unexpectedly.

Special breathing ability

Leopard snakehead fish have the ability to breathe through their skin and gills, so they can live in oxygen-poor conditions for a certain period of time, and when necessary, they will rise to the surface of the water to get air.

Moves in a gliding manner, can crawl on land

Normally, this fish moves very flexibly, swims quite fast, but when hunting, they will mainly move in a "gliding" style at high speed. And they usually do not move too far but only stay within their range.

In some cases, leopard snakeheads can use their fins and bodies to crawl flexibly on land.

Reproductive behavior

Leopard snakehead fish usually breed during the breeding season. They will pair up to breed. First, the male will build a bubble nest to attract the female. After mating, the female will lay eggs in the bubble nest and the male will guard it. When the eggs hatch, they continue to care for the young until they can be independent.

Detailed instructions for raising leopard snakehead fish for beginners

The leopard snakehead fish jumped out of the water.

Leopard snakehead fish is a carnivorous fish, has a fierce nature and large size, so if you want to raise this fish, you must have a lot of experience. Below, we have detailed instructions on how to raise Chinese snakehead fish, please follow along!

Leopard snakehead fish tank design

Leopard snakehead fish are large and territorial, so they need a spacious environment to swim comfortably. Please note the following when designing a tank to raise this fish.

• Tank size : Minimum volume from 100 - 200 L, minimum length is 1m.
• Tank structure : The tank needs to be designed with a tight lid because this fish also likes to jump high.
• Water Filtration System : Ensure continuous water filtration system to clean the tank.
• Tank decoration : Leopard snakehead fish love to hide, so you need to create caves, driftwood, dark areas or areas with lots of aquatic plants.

Suitable water parameters for raising leopard snakehead fish

Leopard snakehead fish have high requirements for water quality. If you want them to stay healthy, you need to meet the following criteria.

• Water temperature : Maintain stable from 22 - 28 degrees Celsius, if too low the fish will easily weaken, if too high the fish will easily become stressed.
• pH : 6.5 - 7.5 (neutral).
• Dissolved Oxygen : Although this fish can breathe through its gills and skin, you still need to provide adequate dissolved oxygen through a water filtration and aeration system.
• T or tank water : Every week, you need to change 20 - 30% of the water in the tank to maintain the quality of the water.
• Check water quality : Check pH, hardness, and dissolved oxygen to ensure their living environment always meets standards.
• Tank cleaning : Clean the tank periodically to remove debris and moss.

What do leopard snakehead fish eat?

Leopard snakehead fish need a high protein diet to grow well and maintain their longevity. They can eat the following foods:

• Live food : Small fish, shrimp, rice worms, earthworms, vermicompost,...
• Industrial pellets : You can choose high protein pellets.
• Feeding frequency : Feed once a day, do not feed too much food at once to avoid water pollution.

Should not be kept with small fish.

Leopard snakehead fish are very aggressive and territorial so it is best to keep them alone for best growth. Do not keep them with other small fish if you do not want the leopard snakehead fish to attack them.

Health care for leopard snakehead fish

Leopard snakehead fish are also susceptible to some diseases caused by parasites and water sources such as white spot disease, fin rot, bulging eyes, etc., so you need to pay attention to the following:

• Observe fish behavior every day: You need to monitor the behavior of this fish every day. If you see signs such as lethargy, not eating, ruffled fins, rotten fins, white spots appearing on fins, scales, etc., then the fish is definitely having health problems.
• Disease prevention: Always ensure the water environment meets standards and is clean. If you see any unusual signs, consult a veterinarian or experienced breeder for timely treatment.

How much is leopard snakehead fish?

Currently, the price of leopard snakehead fish varies depending on many factors such as size, color, rarity... If you want to raise this type of fish, please refer to the price we have compiled below.

Note :

• Leopard snakehead fish from professional farms with beautiful colors can cost much more.
• The price of this fish also changes from time to time, so please go to the supplier or aquarium store to get the most correct and suitable price!

Beautiful leopard snakehead fish pictures

Right below are some of the most beautiful and impressive pictures of leopard snakehead fish. Please take a look and see more. We guarantee that everyone will be amazed by this unique and powerful appearance!

Image of a leopard snakehead fish with beautiful spotted colors.

Image of a max size leopard snakehead fish.

Close-up of the "leopard skin" pattern of the Channa argus fish.

Through the above article, snakehead.info has shared detailed information about the leopard snakehead fish (Channa argus) . We can see that this is not only a fish with a unique and beautiful appearance, but also a very aggressive temperament, requiring special care and the breeder must have a lot of experience. Please consider carefully before deciding to raise this fish!

Don't forget to visit our Blog section to learn more about other beautiful ornamental snakehead fish species that are making waves in the ornamental fish industry!