Channas

[lilacamy931]

Well Nelly got me with the snakehead bug, hoping to go see some for real soon but the pictures in the meantime have both me and my partner interested (didnt realise he has always liked them and very shocked when he said it was possible to set up a tank for them!). I am currently setting up betta tanks and puffer tanks over the next month but considering and starting to look into a species only tank of Channa.

What would you recommend me guys? I am researching into in the mean time but pointers would be great. Channa orientalis has been mentioned to me!

Some pointers I am considering, to start would like a small species in relatively small tank, what is the smallest you can go? I have read and heard that some are tropical and some subtropical, would quite fancy a subtropical (heaterless species if possible). I am an avid fan of weekly waters changes, these guys dont like so how often to change and what %?

Need heavily planted, heavily sealed from escapees, filter, and substrate, homes - have I ticked the main points?

Also we are hard water area, willing to do softener but species that is ok with hard?

sorry to babble, any help, tips, opinions appreciated. Off to the internet!

p.s. what is the best staple for them?

 

[dave_oddballs]

all channas are very adaptable so i think its safe to say the water hardness woudn't be a problem.
you ticked all the main box's there, cover up all holes, even ones you think are too smakll for the fish to fit through, most dwarf species do like a lot of plants and wood etc for hiding places, and a top covering of floating plants. substrate is not important, gravel, sand, silica sand, anything really, most places whee they come from would have a substrate made up of soil, rocks and disintergrating plant matter.
you are right in mentioning the water changes, not only do they not need them, they really don't like them. infact part from suicidal escapee's most deaths are reported soon after water changes.
i usually just wait until there seems to be a lot of dirt on the gravel, syphon as much of it as i can get taking as little water as possible and top it up again.
so you want sub-tropical dwarf channa, theres a few like ornatipinnis, bleheri, sp assam, asiatica and stewartii.
you could with a little effort get hold of most of these and are all very nice fish, it would be up to you to decide for definate which species you would like to keep and gather information specific to each one, although caring for these fish differs only very slightly between species.
it is possible to keep a pair of any of these in a 3 foot tank, obviously bigger is better but this is like the minimum.
you would normally start off with a group of young fish and wait for them to mature and pair off, or you could try getting hold of a formed pair, which wont be easy.

Dave

 

[mixmaster jay]

well dave has covered it all i think lol ive just got a channa marulia off nelly i think its great lol

ive just signed up the the snakehead forum dave and nelly say's you are on it too mate

 

[dave_oddballs]

yeah im on there, with the same name as on here, lots of info to be had on there!!

 

[lilacamy931]

lol thanks guys, how does this species do by themselves? (I have a lot of research ahead of me!) I ask as a lot of puffs which am little more knowledgable about generally should be species only and also generally solo. What are channas like in this respect, best pairing, ok with one? Thanks so much for the downlow!!

 

[mixmaster jay]

im not too sure sorry im still doing loads of research on them ive allready been researching for a couple of month but mainly on the marulia sorry

i will have a look about for you mate

 

[dave_oddballs]

depends which species you are on about. if you just meen channa in general then there is plenty of people who do keep single specimens, either like my channa p. platinum, they try to kill one another or the owner just wants or has room for one. in general people will tell you they will be ok on there own, they wll be OK on their own but a lot of the smaller channa live happier in groups then they pair off and live as a pair for the rest of their lives, well in very few cases they seem to 'fall out' and one may kill the other but it is very likely hey will be happy for life.
keeping a single dwarf channa on its own, say sp. assam for example, a small, colourful species, alone would need at least a 30-36 inch tank, and the same for a small group or a pair, so you might aswel get a group, if you follow me!
you can pick them up at reasonable prices and as with most dwarf channa, an their popularity rising, you would have no problem selling on the extra ones if a pair formed.
for example channa sp. assams go for around £10, bleheri around £15-£20, ornatipinnis (adults anywhere from £30-£60) and if your lucky some babies for around £10!, asiatica anywhere from £15-£30 and stewartii you can get from £10.
when it comes to you choosing ond/or finding a species you want to keep there are a few of us on here that could help you so just ask!

Dave

 

[lilacamy931]

thanks You guys are awesome, I am researching but like to get experience as well.

 

[dave_oddballs]

just ask us if unsure about anything, if theres anything that one of us dont know, im pretty sure the other will!

 

[mixmaster jay]

i'll try as best i can but ive only got 2 days experiance so im still learning alot about them too

 

[lilacamy931]

Thanks again, Oh wow mixmaster, I bet you are having great fun!

 

[mixmaster jay]

yeah its its loving it in the huge setup swimming about checking out all the hidie places and plants im struggling to get more pics though it swims off when i get near the tank lol i put a thread up the other day i will give it a bump if you want to have a look at it

 

[lilacamy931]

running over now!

 

[mixmaster jay]

lol

 

[england]

the bug, wait til you pop round, then the bug will sink its teeth in
dave and mixmaster seem to have covered everything, and what we spoke yesterday, its a case of if theres something on your mind ask,