Snakehead

[TonicViper]

hi guys

i got a violet snakehead about a week ago and when he swims he rocks from side to side?

hes in a 5 foot tank i had the the water tested today and thats fine, hes on hes own, the tanks heavily planted and temps about 80

i think he has been like it since i got him but he hid for the first few days so did not see him much

iv been feeding him muscels and he eats 1 to 2 a day i have offered more but hes not intressted hes about 5 inches long

any idears why hes swimming like this or is it normal?

hes the first snakehead iv kept but been keeping fish for about 15 years now

thanks for your help

Dan

 

[england]

Hello mate, welcome to the world of channa's....
Ok not sure what as violet snakehead is 100% would it be {channa aurantimaculata?
As to swimming, is it major wobbling?

 

[england]

When i google voilet snakehead i get channa aurantimaculata / channa stewartii / channa barca, if you got this one you would know as the price would be very high indeed,,,I would want to know where you lived so i could sneak in and steal it....
Most channa of the smaller varietys are sub tropical, not requiring heating, when they get warm they stop eating so much. Its not good keeping these in tropical temps for there health...
Thats why we need to establish which you have, pictures ofcourse would be great

 

[england]

When i google voilet snakehead i get channa aurantimaculata / channa stewartii / channa barca, if you got this one you would know as the price would be very high indeed,,,I would want to know where you lived so i could sneak in and steal it....
Most channa of the smaller varietys are sub tropical, not requiring heating, when they get warm they stop eating so much. Its not good keeping these in tropical temps for there health...
Thats why we need to establish which you have, pictures ofcourse would be great

 

[TonicViper]

yes i would say its major its like hes wans to swim down but hes floting if that makes sence

also i paid £80 for him if that helps

 

[england]

To the problem, um not sure exsactly, channa do swim quite funny, but if it struggles to go down,im guessing its got some sort of boyency issue,

How is the tank set out?

I would reccomend taking out the heater, looks to me like you have a Channa stewartii.

Try feeding some de-shelled peas....take some out freezer, put in a cup of hot water for a few mins, drain, remove outter skin, then feed to him, might not take to them straight away,but all my channa took first time, also try frozen prawns, also try a good quality pellet to feed them, mine loved the cichlid hilraki range and earthworm pellets i brought from ebay

 

[england]

Only other thing ive read recently, about a snakehead who trys to swim down, but cant, was a possilble ruptured or infected swim bladder

 

[TonicViper]

ok will try feeding him peas lol, as for the heater are you sure? the tank was heated in the pet shop, i live in the uk , what temp should it be maybe i could just turn it down as i dont want it to get to cold at night!

he is now sitting on the bottom of the tank?

i have rang the pet shop and they did not help at all all they said was its out of my 5 day livestock guarantee

this has really annoyed iv never really had a sick fish and i keep all sorts from marine (Pterois) to my koi in the garden.

 

[england]

i too am located in the UK..... unfortunately not all fish will survive, esp when taking to a fish shop, then onto a home aqaurium very quick, stress and other issues, but having said that, you say its on the bottom, this is fine, snakeheads are not a swimming fish as such, they will rest a awful lot on the bottom, or float at the surface just under...This is because they are predatory like such as pike, sitting in waiting for a passing meal, you will find maybe a few which will swim consantly like channa pluero / channa microplete, but most will rest..
As to heating, yes things like channa oranatippis come from climates of sub tropical temps, like here, which you will find most lfs do not know this, snakeheads need alot of cover from plants, either plastic or live, alot of cover makes them feel much more at home...

 

[england]

Temperature 18-24c ranges- sub-tropical ; pH 6-7.5

Endemic to Brahmaputra (upper, middle, lower) River basin of India and Bangladesh, Ganges River basin from southern Nepal southeastward . In southern Nepal, it occurs in the Kamala, Bagmati, Koshi, Gandaki, and Karnali River basins

 

[TonicViper]

the tank has got lots of plants and bog wood also i have now turned the heater off lets see how he gos

thanks for your help

 

[england]

How long have you had him?

 

[TonicViper]

just over a week

 

[england]

Ok, well as said, see how he goes with feeding, if all water stats are good then all i can say is either its normal and your thinking to much into issues, or he has a ruptured or infected swim bladder, if this is the case, theres not much that can be done for him

 

[england]

Here this might be a good read, not saying thats what is wrong,but worth a read
http/www.arofanatics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104322