Rainbow Snakeheads

[andywg]

It's not these ones that cause trouble. It's just the Americans went for a blanket ban without actually looking. How is an 8" fish going to decimate a pond or river? Sure ban the big growing ones, but the dwarf species are not a big problem.

But that's lawmakers for you

 

[dwarfgourami]

It's not these ones that cause trouble. It's just the Americans went for a blanket ban without actually looking. How is an 8" fish going to decimate a pond or river? Sure ban the big growing ones, but the dwarf species are not a big problem.

But that's lawmakers for you

Possibly by outcompeting other small fish for food? Not an unknown phenomenon with introduced species. It is also possible that even an 8" fish could decimate the population of much bigger fish by eating all their fry. No little baby fish= no great big fish.

 

[fishing4exotics]

It's not these ones that cause trouble. It's just the Americans went for a blanket ban without actually looking. How is an 8" fish going to decimate a pond or river? Sure ban the big growing ones, but the dwarf species are not a big problem.

But that's lawmakers for you

Possibly by outcompeting other small fish for food? Not an unknown phenomenon with introduced species. It is also possible that even an 8" fish could decimate the population of much bigger fish by eating all their fry. No little baby fish= no great big fish.

Nah, we got stupid politicians in the US Bowfins are about the same size as most of your mid size snakeheads. They can live out of water too. They are what you can consider the North American version of a snakehead. So we already have species here that can compete with mid size snakeheads. I don't think they should have banned the tropical or the dwarf snakeheads. Both type of snakeheads won't survive in the colder climates and with larger predators.

If you don't agree just remember who our president is

EDIT: almost forgot. My state governor is Arnold Schwarzenegger. We laughingly call him "The Governator". An actor from the movie "Terminator" if you chaps aren't sure who he is.

 

[Genesis]

are they aggressive?

 

[jack mc]

I do understand that once they pair then the rest of the tank is in peril

Yeah i think i might just get two of the same sex, company - but no deaths. Although i think the firemouths could probably hold their ground!

Tom Halvorsen website's very good, expensive, but im guessing very good stock. There's even Channa barca, not bad if you've got £2000 to spare!

 

[pica_nuttalli]

It's not these ones that cause trouble. It's just the Americans went for a blanket ban without actually looking. How is an 8" fish going to decimate a pond or river? Sure ban the big growing ones, but the dwarf species are not a big problem.

But that's lawmakers for you

Possibly by outcompeting other small fish for food? Not an unknown phenomenon with introduced species. It is also possible that even an 8" fish could decimate the population of much bigger fish by eating all their fry. No little baby fish= no great big fish.

i blame all the people who'd still import the eco-dangerous types under the alias of the dwarves. you know, the same guys that import red-belly piranhas as red-belly pacus. (not that piranhas are that big of a danger either, but you get my drift.) besides, how many customs clerks do you know of that can immediately distinguish between a dozen species of snakeheads!

 

[CFC]

I do understand that once they pair then the rest of the tank is in peril

Yeah i think i might just get two of the same sex, company - but no deaths. Although i think the firemouths could probably hold their ground!

Tom Halvorsen website's very good, expensive, but im guessing very good stock. There's even Channa barca, not bad if you've got £2000 to spare!

They dont really like (or need) company, with snakeheads you either keep a single specimin or a group with the aim for getting a breeding pair eventually, if you keep just two one will eventually kill the other.

 

[Genesis]

[quote name=''genesis' post='1033685' date='Jan 12 2006, 06:05 PM']
are they aggressive?
[/quote]

 

[CFC]

are they aggressive?

[/quote]


Yes snakeheads are aggressive

 

[jack mc]

They dont really like (or need) company, with snakeheads you either keep a single specimin or a group with the aim for getting a breeding pair eventually, if you keep just two one will eventually kill the other.

Ok cheers i'll just get the single specimen then. I considered more because i was under the false idea they were social fish!

I was also considering getting a couple of Dwarf Pike Cichlids (Crenicichla Compressiceps) to keep with the Firemouths & Rainbow snakehead. Would the aggressive territorial nature of these cichlids cause a problem, especially with the similar shape of the snakehead. Or would competing territory between all three species possibly be a problem, i can't quite calculate whether space would be an issue with this combination in my 40g tank.

 

[CFC]

Pike Cichlids and snakeheads do not mix well in my experience, it always ends with one killing the other, probably because they have a similar body shape.

 

[diademhill]

Pike Cichlids and snakeheads do not mix well in my experience, it always ends with one killing the other, probably because they have a similar body shape.

I have a small (~4") rainbow in a tank with an adult female Geophagus brasiliensis awho is about six inches & much much deepr bodies and they don't show any aggression to each other - Zippy does get nipped sometimes when he tries to grab a piece of food the cichlid is aiming for. I have Ameca splendens in the tank &, although not as long, they have larger body diameter than the snakehead and they have never been gone for. Obviously Zippy eats any babies and the goodieds will be moved as he grows.

I would say these snakeheads have to considered in the same way as bichirs - they will eat what they think they might manage easily but they don't have the aggressiveness of most snakeheads. They appear to have intelligence on a par with many cichlids.
I've previously owned a red snakehead - big & nasty but not as much character as this little one.