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Channa barca (HAMILTON, 1822) Synonyms Ophiocephalus barca Hamilton, 1822; Ophicephalus nigricans Cuvier, 1831 Etymology Channa: from the Latin channe, used to refer to an unspecified species of sea perch. barca: Classification Order: Perciformes Family: Channidae Distribution Appears restricted to the states of Assam and Nagaland in northeastern India but is scarce and never collected in numbers. In Assam it’s been recorded in Kamrup and Morigaon districts during recent years, while its occurrences in Nepal and Bangladesh is said to be doubtful. Type locality is ‘Brahmaputra River near Goyalpara, Assam, India’, with ‘Goyalpara’ referring to modern-day Goalpara district in Assam. Habitat Has been observed to inhabit vertical burrows around the margins of wetlands which typically become dry during winter months. These burrows are most often around a metre deep and consist of one or more entrance tunnels leading to a larger chamber within the ground water table. The fish use them as refuges during the dry winter months, emerging to hunt and breed while the habitat is flooded. Since it is less of an ecological generalist than many Channa species, requires a specific type of microhabitat, has a restricted range and is never found in large numbers it is recommended as a concern for conservation (Gosawami et al., 2006). Maximum Standard Length 800 – 900 mm. Aquarium Size Suitable only for public installations or the very largest private aquaria. Aquarium filters which have been highly recommended by customers in your area can be found here. Maintenance Relatively unfussy although some surface cover in the form of floating or overhanging vegetation or branches is appreciated. It’s essential to use a tightly-fitting hood since Channa spp. are notorious for their ability to escape, and a gap should be left between this and the water surface as they require access to a layer of humid air. More importantly still C. barca must not be maintained at a constant temperature but provided with natural seasonal variation in the form of defined winter and summer periods. During the colder period the fish do not require much food and the water level can be allowed to fall without additional top-ups. Water Conditions Temperature: 10 – 28 °C pH: 6.0 – 8.0 Hardness: 36 – 357 ppm Diet An obligate predator which probably feeds on smaller fishes and insects in nature but in most cases adapts well to dead alternatives in captivity. Some specimens even accept dried foods though these should never form the staple diet. Young fish can be offered chironomid larvae (bloodworm), small earthworms, chopped prawn and suchlike while adults will accept strips of fish flesh, whole prawns/shrimp, mussels, live river shrimp, larger earthworms, etc. This species should not be fed mammalian or avian meat such as beef heart or chicken since some of the lipids contained in these cannot be properly metabolised by the fish and may cause excess fat deposits and even organ degeneration. Similarly there is no benefit in the use of ‘feeder’ fish such as livebearers or small goldfish which carry with them the risk of parasite or disease introduction and at any rate tend not have a high nutritional value unless properly conditioned beforehand. Behaviour and Compatibility Best-maintained in a species-specific aquarium. It is aggressively territorial towards conspecifics and violence can occur suddenly and without warning even in pairs or groups which have been maintained together for extended periods of time. Sexual Dimorphism Males begin to develop a more-extended, intensely-patterned dorsal-fin once they reach a size of around 150 mm. In most cases adult fish can also be sexed by viewing them from above since females have a broader head shape. Reproduction Unrecorded but likely to be a mouthbrooder. NotesTOP ↑ This species is rarely available and extremely expensive to buy but is considered highly desirable in the aquarium hobby. It can be distinguished from other Channa species by the following combination of characters: 62-63 lateral line scales; 50-51 dorsal-fin rays; 33-34 anal-fin rays; 56 total vertebrae; two large cycloid scales on each side of lower jaw undersurface; dorsal-fin and flanks covered in numerous black spots; pectoral-fin reddish with black bars comprised of spots. Members of the family Channidae are commonly referred to as ‘snakeheads’ due to possession of large scales on the head of most species which are reminiscent of the epidermal scales (cephalic plates) on the heads of snakes. #MonsterFish #ChannaBarca #BarcaSnakehead #SnakeheadFish #BeautifulWildlife #BeautifulNature This is banned for buying and selling in India. It is extinct in Bangladesh. Video credit: =I9m-GkcdyLs Copyright disclaimer: All the video materials are used here for educational purposes under FAIR USE policy. THANKS FOR WATCHING.
