Snakehead fish Channa marulius - Detailed care from A to Z

Channa marulius (bull eye snakehead fish), a giant ornamental snakehead fish, has a fierce temperament, top hunting instinct, is easy to adapt and care for.

Channa marulius fish , also known as bull-eyed snakehead fish, is one of the ornamental snakehead fish species with large size, even giant, and top hunting ability. With impressive appearance and strong personality, this fish has attracted a large number of aquatic enthusiasts.

In today's article, let's learn more about the habits, appearance, care and price of Channa marulius snakehead fish to see if this fish is right for you !

Information about snakehead fish Channa marulius :

Origin of snakehead fish Channa marulius

Snakehead fish Channa marulius or also known as cow eye snakehead fish.

Snakehead fish Channa marulius or also known as Giant Snakehead, Giant Snakehead, Bull-eyed Snakehead,... this is a native fish species widely distributed in South Asia and Southeast Asia, specifically in India, Pakistan, Nepal. Sri Lanka, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam (Southern and Central).

In nature, they mainly live in rivers, lakes, ponds, freshwater swamps, where the water is slow, stagnant, with lots of moss, and rotten tree roots. They can also live in weak brackish water environments with low salinity.

Initially, this fish species migrated from India through some Southeast Asian regions through large rivers such as the Mekong River, Chao Phraya River,...

Nowadays, thanks to its good adaptability, fast growth rate, and large size, this fish species has played an important role in the native aquaculture industry and is also a popular ornamental snakehead fish.

Appearance of snakehead fish Channa marulius

Appearance of snakehead fish Channa marulius.

Channa marulius is one of the largest species of snakehead fish. Let's learn more about their appearance.

• Size : Average from 60 - 90 cm, some even up to 1m2.
• Weight : 5 - 10 kg, even heavier in males.
• Shape : Long body, slender cylindrical shape, large head, slightly flat, wide mouth.
• Dorsal fin : extends along the body
• Caudal fin : Slightly rounded, strong.
• Color : The fish has a background color of dark gray, olive green or dark brown, with pale, slightly blurred stripes or spots on both sides of the body. Some fish have additional light spots running along the body. In juveniles, the stripes are darker, and will fade in adults.
• Fish head : Cheeks and gills often have a slight metallic sheen when illuminated, some even have faint black dots on the head.
• Mouth : Wide, lower jaw slightly protruding, sharp, pointed teeth
• Eyes : Large, round, good vision in low light conditions.

Behavior of snakehead fish Channa marulius

Let's find out if, with such a huge size, the Channa marulius snakehead fish has an aggressive temperament or any interesting behaviors.

Solitary, highly territorial

Channa marulius is a territorial snakehead fish, they are very aggressive towards fish that intend to invade their territory, especially during the breeding season.

This fish species is also usually solitary or in pairs (during the breeding period), and never gathers in large schools.

Hide during the day

Channa marulius is most active at dusk or dawn, and during the day it will hide under layers of algae, moss or submerged roots. This is a very interesting cyclical hunting behavior.

Ambush hunting

Snakehead fish Channa marulius hunts by ambush, they will hide in moss or water grass, aquatic plants to wait for prey and then suddenly attack.

Has good adaptability

Like many other snakehead fish species, Channa marulius has the ability to adapt to the environment quite well, can live in water conditions with low dissolved oxygen concentration thanks to the auxiliary breathing organ that helps them to rise to the water surface to breathe directly.

Even in dry environmental conditions, fish can crawl a short distance across moist ground to find a new body of water.

Instructions for caring for snakehead fish Channa marulius from A to Z

Channa marulius snakehead fish need to be kept in large tanks.

Although in fact, Channa marulius is a snakehead fish with high value in the culinary industry, many aquarium hobbyists are interested in and like to raise this giant fish because it looks very wild and special. Here is a detailed guide to raising Channa marulius from A to Z, let's learn more!

Preparing a tank for raising snakehead fish Channa marulius

Because Channa marulius is a very large snakehead fish, when preparing a tank to raise them, you need to pay attention to the following issues:

• Size : Minimum 300 - 500 liters for a fish with a size of 20 - 30 cm, for adult fish over 60 cm, a tank of 800 - 1000 liters or more is needed. The best tank length should be 4 - 5 times the length of the fish.
• Aquarium decoration : The aquarium needs to have many hiding places such as driftwood, rocks, artificial caves, aquatic plants with deep roots,...
• Tank cover : The tank needs to have a sturdy cover because this fish can jump high with great force.
• Water filtration system : Choose a type with high capacity but creates a gentle water flow.
• LED lights : Optional, natural light is fine too.

Optimal water parameters for snakehead fish Channa marulius

Although Channa marulius snakehead fish is adaptable and can live in many different environments such as fresh water or slightly brackish water. But to help them grow best, your water parameters need to meet the following criteria:

• Temperature : 22 - 30 degrees C
• pH : 6.5 - 7.5
• Hardness : 2 - 12 dGH
• Water change : Change 20 - 30% of water every week.

What do snakehead fish Channa marulius eat?

Channa marulius is a carnivorous fish so you can feed them the following foods:

• Small live fish
• Shrimp, prawn, small crab
• Ground beef, chicken heart,...
• Frozen fish, shrimp, prawn
• Pellet food (Must be trained from a young age).

Feeding frequency :

• For small fish under 30 cm should be fed once a day.
• Fish larger than 30 cm should be fed every 2 days to improve digestion and avoid obesity.

Health Care for Channa Marulius Fish

In captivity, Channa marulius snakehead fish can also suffer from some common diseases in ornamental snakehead fish and show unusual symptoms. You need to monitor regularly to handle promptly.

Signs of healthy fish :

• Fish swim flexibly, react well.
• The fish body is shiny and smooth.
• Fish eat well.

Common diseases :

• Fish infected with parasites: Because live food is not guaranteed, you need to process the food well and cleanly before feeding the fish.
• Fish have fungus, fin rot: Due to dirty water or fish are stressed, need to change the water, create more space for fish to swim and hide.
• Fish have intestinal infections: Due to spoiled food or overeating, it is necessary to ensure food quality, feed fish with moderate portions, enough to fill them up.

Disease prevention :

• Keep the water environment stable, clean, and meet the required standards.
• Avoid leaving excess food in the tank as it can easily pollute the water.
• Add vitamins to fish food to boost the immune system.

Price of snakehead fish Channa marulius

Right below, we have shared with you some prices of Channa marulius snakehead fish compiled from reputable aquarium stores. Please refer to them to see if this fish is expensive or not, and whether it is suitable for your economic conditions or not.

• Thai beef eye snakehead fish : 800,000 VND/fish.
• Indonesian blue-eyed snakehead fish : 900,000 VND/fish.
• Mekong bull-eyed snakehead fish : 1,600,000 VND/fish.

Note :

• Prices vary depending on the size, origin and rarity of the fish.
• Because this is a large snakehead fish, you need to make sure you meet all the conditions before deciding to raise it to help the fish adapt and grow well.
• You should buy fish from reputable aquarium stores to ensure the origin and quality of the fish.

Beautiful Channa marulius snakehead fish pictures

If you want to admire many beautiful moments of snakehead fish Channa marulius, please follow the images shared below.

Image of Indo blue bulleye snakehead fish.

A Channa marulius snakehead fish kept in a beautiful aquarium.

Frontal view of a Channa marulius fish.

Above, snakehead.info has shared detailed information about Channa marulius snakehead fish , this is indeed a unique ornamental snakehead fish and the perfect choice for those who love giant and unique ornamental fish. However, their price is also relatively high and requires a spacious living space and a suitable diet.

If you want to learn more about other ornamental snakehead fish, please visit our Blog section every day to read the latest articles!