Orange-spotted snakehead

The orange-spotted snakehead (Channa aurantimaculata) is a species of snakehead fish. Its body is of brownish colour intermixed with vertical orange stripes. Males have taller dorsal fins with more intense coloration, and narrower heads. It is endemic to Brahmaputra River basin. Its type locality is Dibrugarh, the most northeastern area of Assam, India. Dibrughar is the same type locality as that of Channa bleheri.

Orange-spotted snakehead
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Anabantiformes
Family:	Channidae
Genus:	Channa
Species:	C. aurantimaculata
Binomial name
Channa aurantimaculata Musikasinthorn, 2000

This species grows to 16 in (40 cm). It is probably a mouthbrooder, like most of the smaller snakeheads. One report is known from a German aquarist that a couple of his fish had bred.

In the aquarium

The orange-spotted snakehead is predatory, so it should not be housed with smaller fishes. It is comfortable in a water temperature within the range of 15-28 °C, and a pH of around 7. It requires a large, dimly lit, well-planted tank with places to hide. It breathes air and will suffocate if it is prevented from reaching the surface.

References

• "Channa aurantimaculata". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 18 April 2006.

External links

• Musikasinthorn, Prachya (2000). "Channa aurantimaculata, a new channid fish from Assam (Brahmaputra River basin), India, with designation of a neotype for C. amphibeus (McClelland, 1845)". Ichthyological Research. 47 (1): 27–29. doi:10.1007/BF02674310. S2CID 44737928.
• Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Channa aurantimaculata". FishBase. January 2006 version.
• snakeheads.org- the comprehensive website for all aspects of snakeheads