Snakeheads are amazing fish that resemble snakes in appearance and character. They have a scaly surface and move like rattlers. These predators eat everything, including fish, that fit into their mouths. Snakeheads are characterized by their bright colors, depending on the variety. The article discusses the aspects of snakehead breeding, the types and conditions of keeping the fish in the aquarium, as well as its unusual properties.
Description and characteristics
The snakehead fish, especially at a young age, resembles a snake in appearance, which is how it got its name. It has a flattened head with a slightly elongated snout and wide-set “snake” eyes. The snakehead has a large mouth and well-developed jaws. The fish is distinguished by its elongated, dense body, which is covered with small lamellar scales that resemble the appearance of snake skin. The scales are greenish-brown.
The sides and back of the fish are decorated with dark spots with black edging, smaller spots are scattered on the white belly. On both sides of the head there are decorations in the form of black stripes.
Depending on age, the color of the snakehead may change. When young, the fish has red, orange or bright yellow stripes on its body. As they grow older, the stripes begin to darken, eventually acquiring a black tint.
An adult predator can weigh up to 10 kilograms and its length can reach more than 1 meter. The legendary vitality of the fish is due to the fact that it has a unique structure of the respiratory system. In addition to the presence of wide gill openings, the fish has paired epibranchial respiratory sacs connected to the skin - they help breathe atmospheric air, which is vital. Occasionally, the predator rises to the surface of the reservoir to take a breath of oxygen. At the same time, the snakehead makes sounds reminiscent of slurping.
The fish are adapted to survive in a completely dry lake. To do this, in winter, the predator digs a chamber 60-100 centimeters deep in the muddy bottom, lubricates its walls with its own mucus and lies in it until the lake is filled with water due to constant rains.
If the summer is dry, the fish move to deeper water. A snakehead can crawl tens of kilometers. For the winter, fish form in small groups of up to 10 individuals, huddling in holes under steep banks.
Features of character and lifestyle
Photo: Snakeheads
The snakehead cannot be classified as a schooling species of fish, but it is also not worth talking about a purely solitary fish existence. Fish live close to each other, competing for food and the surrounding territory. Sometimes small young animals gather in small flocks, making it easier for themselves to hunt, and then scatter throughout the reservoir, each occupying their own space. It is common for these fish to hide under snags, in dense aquatic vegetation, in order to suddenly attack their prey from ambush. Such fish attacks from snakeheads are usually furious, lightning-fast, swift and almost always super-accurate, so misses for this predator are very rare.
If we talk about the character of the snakehead, then it is distinguished by aggressiveness, assertiveness and a rather bold, cocky disposition. This fish will not be afraid to attack a larger fellow tribesman, showing all its courage and power. Fishermen note the assertiveness and strength of snakeheads, so catching them is not so easy, you need to show persistence and skill. You should not catch a snakehead early in the morning; it begins to bite closer to lunch, when the sultry star is high enough. On particularly hot days, the fish tries to swim into the shade by climbing into underwater thickets.
Fishing enthusiasts note that the snakehead has a willful disposition and a rather changeable mood. During the day, the predator is active, chasing small fish and plowing the waters. After certain periods, the fish comes closer to the surface to stock up on oxygen. Closer to lunch, snakeheads often swim to the coastal zone, where there are a lot of fry. Based on all of the above, it must be added that the snakehead’s character is quite cool, fighting, his disposition is predatory, restless and fierce, and his nature is gluttonous and insatiable.
Distribution and underwater conditions
Snakehead fish are adapted to living in reservoirs poor in oxygen. This is appreciated for the preservation of the species composition when the reservoir is partially eutrophicated. This process often happens in small rivers, lakes and artificial reservoirs.
In nature, snakehead fish live in Southeast Asia, bays on the Syr Darya, ponds in the Krasnodar region, and the Lower and Middle Amur basin. The fish is found in the Moscow region and Ukraine, on Lake Khanka, in Africa and the Kogo and Chad rivers. Scientists have discovered several species of this fish in 7 US states. Some experts are convinced that someone released snakeheads into American waters specifically to get rid of them.
Natural enemies of snakeheads
Photo: Snakehead in the river
In almost any body of water, the snakehead has no ill-wishers; this fish is not distinguished by delicacy and modesty, so it will rebuff any enemy. It is common for snakeheads to fiercely resist any neighbors that are unpleasant to them, surviving them in the literal sense of the word. Due to their aggressiveness and fertility, the ability to reproduce quickly, snakeheads occupy a dominant place in almost every body of water where they settle, destroying the entire ichthyofauna around them due to unprecedented gluttony and predation.
This merciless aggressor has a number of food competitors, it all depends on this or that type of reservoir. Thus, in large water areas, where there are no thickets and a large number of shallow waters, the pike wins the battle for food resources. In those places where deep and muddy pools predominate and there is a lot of coastal growth, the mustachioed and respectable catfish wins the battle for food. The snakehead is considered invincible in calm and shallow waters, the bottom of which is covered with snags and thickets.
Undoubtedly, one of the main enemies of the snakehead is the person who catches this fish because of its tasty meat, which contains almost no bones. A huge number of dishes can be prepared from snakehead; the fish is very nutritious and rich in various minerals and vitamins (phosphorus, calcium, amino acids). The main thing here is mastery of the culinary art and the secrets of preparing this unusual fish.
Interesting fact: Snakeheads are voracious, eat everything indiscriminately, love stagnant, swampy waters, so their meat can contain a large number of parasites; you need to be careful when gutting this fish and cooking it. Washing tools and hands after gutting a carcass is mandatory, and the cutting board is usually doused with boiling water.
Kinds
There are a huge number of varieties of snakehead fish. Each species differs in external characteristics and behavioral criteria.
golden cobra
The body of the fish reaches 40-60 centimeters. It is considered an aggressive fish that is kept alone. The golden cobra was first encountered in the northern state of Assam in India. The snakehead likes cool water, with a temperature of 20-26 degrees.
Red
This is one of the largest varieties of fish. Its body reaches a length of 1 meter or more, even in captivity. To keep a snakehead in an aquarium, a very large container is required, 300-400 liters for one individual.
Red fish are very aggressive: they attack any fish, including relatives and even large individuals. It tears its prey to pieces. At the same time, he can attack even if he is not hungry. This fish has a large fang. It can also attack its owner.
While the fish is young, it looks attractive: bright orange stripes throughout the body. At an older age, the stripes become pale and the color of the fish turns dark blue. Red snakeheads are undemanding to living conditions. They feel good in water with a temperature of 26-28 degrees.
Dwarf
A common variety suitable for aquarium keeping. The fish is native to northern India. It is kept in cool water at a temperature of 18-25 degrees. It is small in size - its length reaches up to 20 centimeters. More often it gets along with other fish, but can also fight with them.
Imperial
The body length of the imperial snakehead reaches up to 65 centimeters. Kept in large aquariums with neighbors that are equally large in size. Emperor fish prefers water with a temperature of 24-28 degrees.
Rainbow
A small fish with a peaceful character. The advantage of the rainbow snakehead is its length up to 20 centimeters. Has the brightest colors. Suitable, like the dwarf variety, for aquarium keeping in the same cool water.
Bankanesis
The fish is up to 23 centimeters long and has an aggressive character. Not suitable for keeping with other animals. Snakeheads come from rivers with very acidic water. While there is no need to keep it in such extreme conditions, the acidity level should be kept low as higher values can be detrimental to the fish's immunity.
CHANNA LUCIUS
The size of the fish can reach up to 40 centimeters in length, due to which it requires the same conditions as for a large species. Aggressive fish, which are kept together with large, strong individuals, are better off alone. Feels good in water with a temperature of 24-28 degrees.
ocellated
The most beautiful view of Southeast Asia. Distinctive characteristics are the body shape, laterally compressed, while other species have a cylindrical structure. It adapts well to neutral water, although in nature it lives in water with more acidity than usual. The fish has a calm character. Suitable for keeping with large fish, body length reaches 40-45 centimeters. Rarely lies on the bottom of the aquarium. Has high speed.
Spotted
The spotted snakehead is native to India. Can live in different conditions: cool and tropical. They keep fish at temperatures from 9 to 40 degrees. It tolerates different water parameters perfectly without any difficulties; the acidity and hardness of the water does not play a special role. A small fish that grows up to 30 centimeters in length. It has an aggressive character, which is why it is recommended to keep it in the aquarium separately from other fish.
Channa Striata
An unpretentious variety, so the fish does not need to create special conditions. Large fish, reaching a length of up to 90 centimeters.
African snakehead
The snakehead is similar in appearance to the variety CHANNA LUCIUS (magnificent snakehead), especially in terms of housing, but has longer and more tubular nostrils. Body length reaches 35-45 centimeters.
Stewart
The snakehead, which is called a shy fish, reaches up to 25 centimeters in length. The fish prefers permanent shelters, which is why there should be a lot of them in the aquarium. It will not attack the prey if it is larger than itself, and when it is not covered for cover.
Pülcher
The body length of the Pülcher snakehead is about 30 centimeters. They are considered a territorial variety. Able to get along well in a pack. They can attack other fish if they sense danger. They eat everything that fits into their mouths. A distinctive characteristic is the presence of two large fangs in the center of the lower jaw.
Appearance and features
Photo: Snakehead fish
Snakeheads are very large, they can reach one and a half meters in length and weigh around 7 kg. There is information that there were specimens whose mass was about 30 kg. The fish has an elongated body, which is quite muscular; in the middle it is cylindrical in shape, and closer to the tail it is compressed on the sides. The head of the snakehead is powerful, it is flattened, both at the top and bottom, its shape is similar to the head of a reptile, which is why the fish was called that. The body and head of the fish are covered with cycloid scales. The snakehead's eyes are slightly bulging and are located on the sides, closer to the edge of the fish's snout.
The fish's mouth is large, lowered down, it can open it greatly, showing its sharp and dangerous teeth. The tail, compared to the rest of the body, is small in size and has a rounded caudal fin. Looking at the snakehead, you can immediately notice the presence of a long dorsal fin, which stretches along the entire body from the head to the tail; it can contain from 50 to 53 soft rays. The anal fin has 33–38 soft rays. The body of the snakehead is painted in a brown color scheme, on which brown snake spots of irregular shape stand out clearly. Two characteristic dark stripes run from the eyes to the very edge of the gill cover.
Video: Snakehead
One special difference between snakeheads is the ability to breathe ordinary air, which helps the fish survive when bodies of water temporarily dry up, but for no more than five days. With the help of their cylindrical body, covered with thick mucus, and special respiratory organs, these fish are able to run across the grass to the neighboring water area, which is not dry.
Interesting fact: Snakeheads have an epibranchial organ and special air sacs for storing oxygen, which is distributed throughout the body through blood vessels. There is evidence that when drought occurs, fish build something like a cocoon in order to wait out this unfavorable period in it.
Lifestyle
The snakehead is considered a very agile predator, whose strategy is to quickly dash from ambush. It feeds on everything it can grab and eat. Prefers as food any other fish, amphibians, insect larvae, waterfowl chicks, adult insects, including those that live in the atmospheric air. During a flood, its diet is often supplemented with mice, chicks and other land dwellers.
Reproduction
Snakeheads reach sexual maturity at the age of 2 years. During this period, the body length of the fish exceeds 35 centimeters. Snakeheads prefer to spawn in the warm season, when the water temperature fluctuates between 18-20 degrees.
By choosing various underwater plants, the fish builds its own capacious nest, the diameter of which reaches about 1 meter. Inside it, it lays eggs containing its own fatty particles - the eggs float up and remain in the upper layer of water until the fry form.
Female snakeheads are highly productive. They can lay up to 30,000 eggs up to 5 times in one season.
Fry
The incubation period is two days. After 3-4 days, the fry begin to actively frolic near the surface of the water, but at the same time, without swimming far from the nest. The parent continues to protect its offspring for several weeks, protecting them from attacks by predators. This lasts until the fry learn to hunt on their own, get their own food, and survive in natural conditions.
In the first days after hatching, the fry feast on algae and plankton. But after small fish develop several rows of teeth, they become predators, attacking all living things.
Nutrition
The snakehead is considered an insatiable fish with a mobile, well-developed jaw. Sharp and strong teeth instantly grab prey, chewing it in a matter of seconds. The snakehead is the most dangerous predator living in all freshwater bodies of Primorye. Hunts all inhabitants living under water. It eats small fish, but can also attack large fish, even those whose size exceeds it.
Protection of offspring
The snakehead family carefully monitors its offspring and the water area where the nest is located. Pisces do not let their relatives be offended. To ensure stable development of eggs, adult snakeheads use their fins to create a constant flow of water.
Snakeheads, that is, the female and the male, remain together even when the fry are born. Parents guard and protect the fry during their development, which ensures a high chance of survival.
Change of habitat
Snakeheads prefer calm and quiet bodies of water with plenty of logs and snags in the water. They love to settle in bodies of water where there is a lot of algae and everything is overgrown with reeds. Snakeheads are not afraid of the low oxygen content in such water - they are able to replenish it by swimming to the surface.
Reproduction
Pets are ready to breed when they reach 2 years of age. By this moment they are already quite large and reach 35 cm. Spawning takes place in the summer at a water temperature of +18...+20 °C.
First, the male builds a large nest from plants, up to a meter in diameter. In it, the female lays eggs, which have their own fat particles that help float to the surface and remain in the upper layers until the fry appears. During the season, a sexually mature individual is capable of sweeping up to 30,000 babies. The larvae hatch 5 days after spawning.
Parents carefully protect the nest and the area around it. The mother carefully fans her offspring with her fins, creating a slight current. After the young hatch, the parents do not abandon them, but continue to jealously protect them. This is why fish reproduce so quickly.
Contents in aquariums
Adults who are placed in an aquarium try to find various ways to escape from the “cage” and be free. Even in a closed aquarium, the fish will try to break the glass with its powerful body. After the snakehead is on the ground, it wriggles like a snake and moves in the same way, looking for a new habitat for itself.
Having sent a young snakehead to an aquarium, with age it will grow, and accordingly, there will be less space for it. He will destroy and bite all the fish that are adjacent to him. It is important to choose aquariums with a capacity of at least 100 liters, and keep one snakehead in each. It is prohibited to release such a predator into water sources.
Experienced experts say that, if necessary, the snakehead is taught to eat shrimp, snails, pieces of meat, mussels, and earthworms. Adult fish are fed once a week - this is how they feel good. The quality of the water is not particularly important, but if dirty water is not changed for a long time, ulcers may appear on the snakehead's head, which will disappear only after changing the liquid.
If snakeheads have fry, they are grouped by size so that weaker individuals do not become food for older fish. For keeping in an aquarium, preference is given to the eastern snakehead, due to its small size - up to 15 centimeters in length.
As soon as the first snakeheads brought to Great Britain appeared, their cost reached up to 5 thousand pounds sterling. Today the price of predators has become significantly lower, but also quite large for a fish - about 1,500 pounds.
Breeding Features
In nature, snakeheads go to spawn in June-July. However, aquarium populations have their own breeding characteristics.
Depending on the species, snakeheads can:
- reproduce spontaneously;
- it’s easy to spawn when the water temperature rises to 26–27 °C;
- need stimulation (imitation of seasonal phenomena - from cold to warm).
An increase in aggression during the reproduction period is typical for all fish species, including towards their own kind.
Some species can brood eggs in their mouths or lay them on the leaves of aquaculture plants. The vast majority of morphs build foam nests on the surface of the water.
Snakeheads have one important feature in common - they are all good parents and protect their offspring for a long period.
Despite the fact that snakeheads are typical predators, they can be kept with some types of fish
How to determine the sex of a snakehead
They are sexually mature from two years of age, but pronounced dimorphism does not appear even at this age. The female's body is rounded, and the male's wider head gives him away (if you look at the individual from above). However, these differences are not always noticeable. Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine the gender only by the behavior of snakeheads, when the fish split into pairs and begin to build nests.
This intraspecific feature forces the breeder to purchase several individuals at once. Then there is a chance that a small flock of snakeheads can form a pair. The sex ratio in the populations is equal.
How do they reproduce?
In an aquarium, a mature couple chooses a territory for themselves and selflessly protects it. Producers build a nest among aquatic plants. At a certain moment, spawning begins - the male wraps his body around the female and turns her over on her back. The laid eggs are immediately fertilized by the male.
The caviar of snakeheads is equipped with a fatty shell and easily floats to the surface of the water. This is the reason for building nests at the interface. During spawning, the female lays several thousand eggs. They have a yellowish tint, 1.2-1.6 mm in diameter. Producers, taking care of the eggs, create water exchange with their fins, providing the eggs with good aeration.
It is quite difficult to determine the sex of an individual snakehead
Fry
Embryo development takes approximately 2-3 days, but no more than 5 days. At first, the larvae live crowded near the surface, held in place by the fatty contents of the yolk sac.
Metamorphosis from larva to fry allows the brood to actively move and feed. At first they are fed zooplankton and live dust, then small crustaceans and insect larvae are introduced into the diet. On such food, the juveniles grow quickly, but not evenly.
The process of puberty in juveniles is the most difficult period in keeping snakeheads. Pisces begin to show aggression and start fights. More often than not, females are the initiators of conflicts.
Attention!
The fry are grouped by size and kept in different aquariums. This way, weak individuals will not become prey for their larger counterparts.
Protection of offspring
The snakehead family always protects its offspring and carefully monitors them at all stages of development. This provides the brood with a high chance of survival. This kind of care continues for quite a long time. Only when the juveniles are strong enough and reach 5-8 cm in length do the parents begin to drive the juveniles out of their territory.
In many species of snakeheads, both parents take care of the safety of eggs and fry. However, there are also extremely aggressive males who see even a female as a threat to their offspring.
At the end of spawning, the fish protect their babies
What fish do snakeheads live with?
It is permissible to add other fish to snakeheads. But not all varieties are suitable for living together. It is necessary to take into account the size of both the snakehead and its neighbors.
It is forbidden to put neon in the same aquarium with a snakehead, it will become food for a predator. Preference is given to large-sized fish, with which the snakehead can get along and will not swallow it. For snakeheads up to 40 centimeters in length, the best neighbors will be peace-loving, energetic and maneuverable fish species, for example, small carp fish.
It is not advisable to add cichlids, for example, Managuan cichlids, to the snakehead. With age, this species becomes large and excessively strong, becoming a serious competitor for the snakehead.
| What snakeheads and what types of fish can get along with | |
| Predatory and large snakeheads | Small snakeheads |
| It is recommended to keep the following species of snakeheads separately: · golden cobra; · red; · imperial. | Small-sized snakeheads are housed with the following fish:
Get along with the following neighbors:
|
Benefits of snakehead fish
Snakehead is of great benefit if used correctly. In small quantities fish:
- strengthens the immune system and overall endurance of the body;
- makes bones and joints stronger;
- protects teeth from decay;
- improves metabolic processes and accelerates digestion;
- supplies the body with amino acids and proteins necessary for building muscles;
- has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system;
- prevents the development of atherosclerosis;
- improves brain function and strengthens memory;
- normalizes the functioning of the reproductive system;
- helps cope with stress;
- improves the condition of the muscular system;
- serves as a prevention of chronic liver diseases;
- strengthens nail plates.
We recommend reading: Why catfish is useful, description and photo
Regular consumption of fish improves the condition of the skin and hair. The beneficial substances in the product prevent the body from aging and allow you to maintain youth longer.
Snakehead fish normalizes blood pressure and prevents hypertension
Snakehead fishing
Snakehead fishing is more like hunting. The only advantage of such a hunt is that the fish bite from lunch to evening. You don't have to wake up early in the morning to catch it.
It is recommended to catch a predator from a PVC boat - it will be comfortable to stand in. You won't need a motor boat, because the engine will only get in the way, constantly clinging to the thick grass. Usually the snake fish desperately resists, which is why a two-handed and durable fishing rod is chosen.
When fishing, you will have to make every effort to pull the fish through the grass. The rod must have a powerful reel that can withstand heavy loads. It is better to give preference to a drum reel with a fast brake.
Snakeheads are caught without leashes, because they will be uncomfortable. Despite the fact that the fish eats almost everything, the best bait for it is a rubber frog. Catching a river snake is not easy: a rubber bait is dragged through the water so that it bounces. A predator may be capricious and not peck at a frog just because it is swimming in the wrong direction. The fish can take the bait in any way: throw it over the water and then grab it, just pounce on it, choke it with its tail.
It also happens that the snakehead simply begins to play with the prey, chewing and biting it. In this case, they make the hook on an intuitive level. The snakehead is characterized by a bony and hard mouth, which is why it requires powerful hooking.
From such fishing only exciting impressions and pleasant emotions remain. Ultimately, after fishing, you can bring home trophies, or come without it, but with good memories.
Diseases
Snakeheads are hardy fish with strong immunity. No systemic diseases characteristic of this species have been identified. In case of errors in maintenance, they may be exposed to invasive pathologies or other negative health conditions. For example, if you do not change the water in the aquarium for a long time, specific ulcers may periodically form on the head of the snakehead. This reaction does not require treatment and goes away on its own after changing the water.
Most often, the health of fish suffers from a quarrelsome disposition; in a fight, they can receive injuries that are incompatible with life. Snakeheads do not lock their mouths (like most cichlids) or flap their fins; they attack with powerful blows to the side. Such clashes lead to the fact that the scales of individuals peel off and white scars remain on the cover, and internal organs are injured.
Attention!
To prevent diseases, new fish that are planned to be introduced into the aquarium with the snakehead, including those intended for food, are quarantined.
In very poor conditions, infectious diseases occur
Breeding snakeheads
Due to the fact that it is very difficult to recreate the required conditions, fish breeding is extremely rare. It is not easy to determine the sex of an individual. Some scientists believe that females are slightly plumper than males. A pair is determined as follows: 4-6 fish are released into a separate tank, then they themselves will divide into pairs.
The aquarium for breeding is chosen to be large, with shelters, without other fish. Depending on the species, snakeheads need different conditions for spawning:
- Gradually reduce the water temperature, creating natural conditions for the rainy season.
- Create absolutely no conditions.
Some species hatch their eggs in their mouths, while others require a foam nest to be built. After spawning, the fish protect the fry.
What does a snakehead eat?
Photo: Snakehead in Russia
The snakehead can rightfully be called an insatiable aquatic inhabitant; in its gluttony it is similar to the rotan. The predator is unpretentious in food, sweeping away literally everything that gets in its way. It is not for nothing that these fish are not favored in the USA, because most often it happens that the snakehead eats all the other fish in the body of water in which it has settled. The snakehead often hides in ambush, rushing to attack with lightning speed when it detects a victim; such deadly attacks can be repeated several times. Many tiny and sharp teeth do not leave potential prey any chance of salvation.
The snakehead eats with pleasure and great appetite:
- other fish, not being afraid to attack fish larger than himself;
- larvae of all kinds of insects;
- insects;
- frogs;
- mayfly
If a snakehead has such an opportunity, then during a river flood it will definitely feast on mice and bird chicks. The fish will not disdain its closest relatives, without a twinge of conscience devouring a smaller snakehead. Predators are most active from May to October; during this period the water warms up well. In August, fish gluttony simply goes off scale; it seems that snakeheads eat everything, without going overboard. This type of fish received the title of the most ferocious freshwater predator of Primorye, with an indomitable appetite.
Interesting fact: Because the snakehead loves to snack on frogs and loves swampy water, it is often called the frogfish.
Speaking about fishing, it is worth adding that snakeheads are caught using a bottom fishing rod (casting rod) using various baits.
Among which are:
- earthworms;
- frogs;
- small dead fish;
- meat of river shellfish.
Unusual properties
Snakeheads are predatory fish that live among the thickets of water bodies. They have some unusual properties that make them more unique:
- As fish mature, they change color. As a rule, young fish have bright yellow or orange-red stripes on the body - over time they disappear, due to which the fish acquires a grayish or dark blue tint. This is important to know for those who are planning to breed snakeheads in an aquarium. But they also take into account the fact that with other species of snakeheads everything is different: over time they only become more attractive.
- The predator is able to survive even without being in the water. It feels great on land for up to 5 days. River snakeheads are prone to frequent changes of residence. It is not difficult for them to move from one body of water, which has begun to dry up, to another, which is full of water.
- It can easily tolerate low oxygen levels in water. Paired breathing sacs, which are connected to the skin, allow fish to breathe atmospheric oxygen. The fish needs it. In dry bodies of water, the snakehead can live for several months: it burrows into the silt to a depth of more than a meter, forming a thick layer of mucus on the walls.
The snakehead is an unusual fish, attractive by its very name. It differs in external characteristics and conditions of detention. There are a huge number of varieties that differ in appearance and character.
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Where does the snakehead live?
Photo: Snakehead underwater
Extravagant-looking snakeheads are freshwater predators that frequent lakes, river systems, marshy ponds, etc. Fish like overgrown water areas with shallow depths. Due to the fact that snakeheads can absorb air, they are not afraid to settle in waters where there is a low oxygen content.
Interesting fact: Snakeheads need to constantly replenish their oxygen reserves from the atmospheric air, so they periodically swim to the surface of the water. If this opportunity is not available, then this threatens the fish with death.
There is a version that snakeheads originally inhabited India. This fish is most common in the waters of the Far Eastern region. Snakeheads settled in water areas from the Yangtze to the Amur rivers.
On the territory of our country, snakeheads are most often caught in reservoirs of the Primorsky Territory:
- lakes Khasan and Khanka;
- Razdolnaya River;
- Ussuri.
In the second half of the twentieth century, people began breeding snakeheads in central Russia, bringing one-year-old fish to the territory of the Moscow Zoo, from where the snakeheads were sent to a fish farm, where they successfully multiplied and infiltrated the Syrdarya river system, gradually settling in the reservoirs of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Snakeheads are also bred in artificial conditions, setting up separate ponds for this. In order to catch these amazing predators in their natural environment, fishermen often visit Vladivostok.
In 2013, a snakehead was discovered in the United States, which greatly annoyed American environmentalists, who began to exterminate this predatory fish in order to save the local ichthyofauna from it. Some states (California, Maryland, Florida) have even introduced a ban on the artificial keeping of snakeheads due to their excessive aggressiveness and predation. As for other countries, snakeheads are found in water bodies of the African continent, China and Indonesia.
Hunting for snake fish - what you need to know and what gear you will need for successful fishing
Catching a snakehead is more reminiscent of hunting than fishing, because the predator is distinguished not only by its ferocious disposition, but also by its cunning. It is recommended to go for the desired trophy by boat; a motor is not needed here. It should be taken into account that a strong predator will desperately resist, so you cannot do without a strong two-handed fishing rod.
You shouldn’t count on catching a snakehead - you’ll have to force it through the grass, regardless of all technical techniques, so a powerful reel that can easily withstand a heavy load won’t hurt. Instead of a fishing line, a strong cord will do; a leash is not needed - it will only get tangled in the grass, complicating the already difficult process of catching a snakehead.
Snakehead fishing has many features, and the main thing here is not to make a mistake with the bait. The ideal option is a rubber frog, but you can try to catch a handsome one with a small dead fish.
Photo 2. Karasik can also become a victim of a snakehead.
It’s better to try all kinds of wiring options, because the predator’s capriciousness is legendary - he may refuse to take the bait, even if it moves from right to left, and not vice versa. The easiest way is to pull the frog so that it bounces slightly.
Photo 3. Silicone frog.
Snakeheads can take bait in any way:
- Throws himself at the bait.
- Jams with powerful tail strikes.
- Throws him into the air, grabbing him after falling into the water.
- Plays with easy prey, bites and plucks the frog.
It is impossible to guess the actions of a predator, so hooking is done intuitively, in the hope that maybe you will get lucky. Even if you managed to hook a snakehead, it’s too early to celebrate - the powerful fish resists so strongly that often only parts of the gear that are useless for anything remain.
Important!
Since the snake fish's mouth is bony and hard, the hook must be done sharply and very forcefully - just pull the rod upwards. If a small specimen of a predator is caught, it will easily jump out of the water, but if the snakehead is at least seven kilograms, then the fisherman may feel like he is fighting with a concrete slab, it is so difficult to pull it out. The snakehead dives to great depths, and it will take a lot of effort to pull it out along with the kilograms of algae that get tangled in the fishing line.
What does fishing for snakehead entail? Torn cords, bent hooks, broken reels and a rod in pieces - you can suffer considerable losses. But what does tackle mean if you manage to pull out a huge trophy specimen that barely fits not only in a bag, but also in a boat? The pleasure of such fishing is difficult to describe, which is why many fishermen go hunting for the coveted prey, and even failure and broken gear do not become an obstacle - thrill-seekers do not lose hope and again return to the reservoir with the main inhabitant - the snakehead.
The snakehead fish (photo of the predator can be seen below) has a greenish-brown, elongated body with dark spots. In front it is almost cylindrical, only shrinking closer to the tail. The head is somewhat reminiscent of a snake, the same flattened and covered with large scales, like snake scutes. Some see in it a great resemblance to the head of the viper. In one of the pictures the teeth of a predator are clearly visible. It will probably not be easy for the prey to get out of such a mouth. In addition, the snakehead is a fish with a special structure of the respiratory system. In addition to gills, it also has epibranchial organs that allow it to breathe atmospheric air.
The snakehead fish has a variety of nicknames: green snake, water snake, toothed fish, dragonfish, eel, frogfish, and so on. Today this predator lives in the rivers and lakes of the Khabarovsk Territory and Karakalpakstan, as well as in reservoirs that stretch between the Tien Shan and the Caspian Sea. In general, India is considered its homeland; it is also found in the waters of tropical Africa.
Snakehead is a fish that likes to settle in quiet bodies of water, choosing snags or places heavily overgrown with algae. He is not at all afraid of the lack of oxygen, since he periodically rises to the water surface and swallows air with a special slurping sound. Snakehead fish easily survive even in drained ponds. She digs out a chamber in the mud, smearing it with mucus, and buries herself in it, waiting for the next season. Hiding in holes, this predator can wait out the frosts; it can remain without water for 5 days.
Snakehead is a fish that easily changes its habitat. To do this, it crawls overland from one body of water to another, and covers considerable distances. And during such mass migrations, local residents catch predators crawling in the grass. Usually such relocation is associated with a lack of food, because the snakehead is a fish that is king and god in its habitat. She eats everything that comes her way. These can be tadpoles, fish, invertebrates, frogs, small rodents, and even those that are pulled under water by a predator. Snakeheads are very voracious; they have well-developed jaws with many strong and sharp teeth. Any living creature caught in such a mouth has virtually no chance of salvation.
Sexual maturity in this fish occurs when it reaches a length of 30 cm, and this occurs no earlier than two years of age. It spawns in the first two summer months, when the water temperature rises to 21 ºC. The snakehead builds a nest of all kinds, and its diameter reaches at least 1 meter. The females of these fish are highly productive. They are capable of making about 5 clutches in one season, and each of them contains from 25 to 35 thousand eggs. Literally after a few days, the fry already appear, and their parents very carefully protect their offspring.
The snakehead has no natural enemies in its habitat. When he moves to a new territory, no one is able to cope with him. That is why the snakehead fish poses a real threat to the rest of the underwater world. And, for example, in several states of America this predator is prohibited for import; it is not allowed to be kept even in our country, it has not yet caused much damage. In our country, snakeheads are an excellent hunting object. And many fishermen fish out this river snake with great passion and pleasure!
Amazing snakehead fish
can rightfully be considered a universal soldier, a kind of champion in survival among his brothers. It lives in fresh waters, its original homeland is the Far Eastern rivers of China and, of course, Russia (here the snakehead’s historical range is the widest). In the 1960s, a small population of snakeheads was introduced to Central Asia, where it rapidly multiplied, and now this fish lives in all water bodies of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
Amateur aquarists brought the snakehead to North America, some of the fish were released into the wild, and Central Asian history repeated itself. The “aliens” began to multiply quickly and efficiently. What is the secret of snakehead survival?
Firstly, the snakehead is one of the wonders of nature due to the fact that it can breathe atmospheric air. Moreover, he absolutely needs this: in water where there is little oxygen, he feels great, but if he does not have access to normal “human” air, he will die even in the freshest water.
The dimensions of the snakehead are quite impressive: length up to 1 m, weight up to 10 kg. In its natural habitat, it prefers to sit out in overgrown areas of reservoirs (where other fish would feel uncomfortable due to lack of air).
The snakehead's body is covered with mucus, and there are organs for atmospheric respiration located above the gills. This fish tolerates high mineralization well, that is, it survives calmly even in salted reservoirs.
Interestingly, if a reservoir dries up (and this happens in Central Asia), the cunning snakehead digs a chamber in the silt and calmly falls asleep in it until the water level returns to normal.
What's most amazing is the snakehead
lives without water for up to five days and does not suffocate; moreover, it calmly crawls on land in search of favorable places of settlement. It can cover quite significant distances in five days.
The snakehead is also called the most terrible predator. This, of course, is an exaggeration, but he really eats everything that lies poorly (or rather, crawls poorly). Our predator snacks on mayflies and insect larvae, loves small fish, eats frogs for dessert, and does not disdain small mammals - in general, from the point of view of a snakehead, game is any living creature of suitable size that did not manage to escape from it in time.
In some US states, a real war has been declared on the snakehead: it is poisoned in water bodies and is prohibited from being kept in aquariums. This is explained precisely by the fantastic gluttony of our hero. Once in a fresh body of water, he quickly destroys the commercially valuable fish in it, offering his own person in exchange. However, experts say that snakeheads make excellent cutlets, so the Americans are in vain raising hysterics.
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What names are given to this predatory fish, the homeland of which is India. Toothed and water, eel and dragon, green snake and frog - this is not a complete list of snakehead nicknames. The habitat of representatives of the snakehead fish family is freshwater reservoirs of eastern Asia and tropical Africa. But even in the Amur basin you can find, albeit the only, representative of these unusual fish. It was also brought to some fisheries in the Dnieper and Ross river basins in Ukraine.
How to catch snakehead
Snakehead fishing
An interesting activity that has its own characteristics. To catch this fish you need to use proven methods of catching it, because it is a very interesting predator. They usually go to Kazakhstan for it, but in Russia it can be found on the border with China in the Amur River.
Season
Predator activity period
begins as soon as the water begins to warm up. This is the time period from May to October. Best time of day: from 12 noon to 7 pm. You can catch a snakehead both in the morning and at night, but this requires appropriate conditions. Heat-loving creatures look for the warmest place in a body of water, and this is, as a rule, the surface of the water and shallows.
The zhora period for snakeheads begins in August. At this time, they eat everything indiscriminately, so catching them in August is much easier.
Lures
Snakeheads are usually caught using a spinning rod, but if the fish are at depth, they use a feeder. Lures can be as follows:
- rotating and oscillating spoons,
- twisters,
- silicone frogs,
- vibrotails.
An excellent solution would be to choose a frog-shaped bait
. They lower it to the surface of the water and wait for the predator to begin its attack. The snakehead does not swallow the bait immediately. First, he strikes the victim several times, then swallows it. Experienced fishermen advise counting to 30 after the first strike and making a hook.
If you use bottom gear, use live bait or pieces of fish as bait.
Tackle
You should approach the choice of gear with special responsibility, because the fish desperately resists and has remarkable strength, which makes fishing much more difficult. It is preferable to catch snakeheads from a PVC boat, then the length of the rod can be 2.7 meters. But you can also fish from the shore, but then the rod should be longer (more than 3 meters).
The spinning rod or other fishing rod must be strong enough
in order to withstand the onslaught of a predator. The baits are not massive and heavy, but the fish itself, once hooked, tries to pull it down and go into the thickets. Often you have to pull out prey along with underwater vegetation.
The reel is matched to the rod and should be equally powerful, preferably made of metal. The best coils are:
- inertialess,
- multiplier (marine).
Not every fisherman can afford to buy a baitcasting reel, although it is ideal for extreme types of fishing. You can get by with a powerful inertia-free one.
The fishing line should be braided, with a breaking load of more than 40 kg. The power of the snakehead should not be underestimated. You can also use monofilament fishing line, but braided cord will still be more reliable.
non-snagging ones are best.
. Snakeheads love dense vegetation in reservoirs, so if the rig gets caught on algae, it will cause a lot of trouble.
So, catching a snakehead is not an easy task. This will require patience, strength and some experience.
The Far East is rich in all kinds of fish species, among which there are many interesting specimens. Snakehead fish is one of the most unusual representatives, of interest not only to ichthyologists, but also to professional fishermen. A powerful predator is a wonderful and desirable object of fishing, because even the most expensive gear turns out to be useless; the cunning owner of the reservoir manages to bypass all the traps and devices. What is interesting about the snakehead, and how to catch a beautiful representative of the ichthyofauna?
It’s a stretch to call a snakehead a fish, because outwardly it looks like a snake, whose body and head are hidden under scales. A powerful tail, long fins (dorsal and anal), a dense strong body - this is how you can complete the description of a handsome predator. The head of the predator has a slightly elongated snout and small eyes. There are many small but very sharp teeth in the mouth, which leave the victim no chance to break free and run away.
Adult snakeheads grow up to a meter, and their body weight is also not small – ten-kilogram specimens are often caught. The Amur snakehead is considered the largest - there is evidence that representatives of the family weighing 15 kg were caught. The meat is very nutritious and tasty; the absence of small bones has long turned the snakehead into a culinary delicacy.
The dark color, similar to that of a snake, allows the predator to camouflage itself perfectly; it is almost impossible to notice it in algae or between snags. Interesting features of the snakehead include its extraordinary endurance, because it is not afraid of either severe frosts or heat. The predator easily burrows to great depths (up to a meter), where it waits for more comfortable climatic conditions. In terms of survival in extreme conditions, the snakehead can take first place, because for months it can remain in a state of light half-sleep, buried in the mud.
Interesting!
If necessary, fish can cover considerable distances, crawling from one body of water to another. This is another feature of the snakehead - it can stay out of water for almost a week, breathing atmospheric air! The low level of oxygen in the reservoir is also not a problem for the predator - where other aquatic inhabitants die, it feels great.
Snakehead predatory fish are found in many bodies of water, although the predator’s homeland is the Far Eastern rivers. You can meet it in the rivers of Ukraine and Russia; according to some reports, beauties can be found even in African reservoirs. The rivers of Southeast Asia are another refuge for the predator. Not long ago, a snakehead appeared in Kazakhstan; it was released into only a few reservoirs, but the tenacious beauty quickly settled in many rivers.
Photo 1. On a clean river.
Diet of the snakehead, whether the seasons of the year affect the behavior, reproduction of the snakefish
Once in a body of water, the snakehead tries to get rid of all predatory competitors, and he succeeds in this - the fish becomes the absolute master. The predator feeds on all aquatic inhabitants that inadvertently fall within its reach:
- frogs;
- small fish;
- lizards;
- waterfowl;
- small aquatic animals.
Interesting!
Some water farm owners release snakeheads into the pond specifically so that the predator destroys “weedy” fish species. The resourceful owners find out about the mistake very late, because the bloodthirsty beauties that have broken free destroy all living things! The reservoirs where the snakehead lives remain almost empty after just a few months, but getting rid of the culprit is not at all easy.
Seasonality does not matter for the snakehead - both in winter and in summer it adapts to difficult conditions, preferring to lead a sedentary lifestyle. Predators migrate only if the reservoir is completely dry. Another reason to go on a trip is the complete destruction of all life in their habitats; the snake-like fish crawls to places where it is easier to get food.
Snakehead spawning occurs in the summer. To do this, the predator does not go far, it just rises closer to the surface of the water. The female prepares for reproduction in advance; her duties include making a nest of aquatic plants, which often reaches a meter in size.
At one time, the female lays up to 30 thousand large eggs, after which she leaves the nest. Males remain to guard their offspring, which emerge in just 2-4 days. After satisfying her hunger, the female returns, and the parents together monitor the development of the babies. Interestingly, snakeheads do not destroy their own young, preferring to drink from other people’s young. The babies living in the nest are not in danger - curious aquatic inhabitants who approach to look at the offspring of snakeheads will certainly die in the teeth of their parents.
The diet of the fry consists of invertebrate animals and insect larvae. The fish grow quickly, after the body reaches 20 cm, they go hunting for small fish.
Snakehead: description
Snakehead is a large predatory fish
, living mainly in heavily overgrown fresh water bodies. Based on the name, you can understand that the fish is similar in appearance to a snake. The head is flattened, the scales resemble those of a snake. The predator has a rather wide oral cavity and very sharp teeth. The average individual reaches approximately 1–1.5 meters in length and weighs about 7 kg, but there are representatives weighing up to 30 kg.
While in the water, this fish fiercely guards its territory and destroys absolutely everyone who steps on it. It eats frogs and other inhabitants of water bodies, and fearlessly attacks fish and animals of its own size and even larger. The snakehead attacks its prey so selflessly and diligently that it leaves it no chance of salvation. There are frequent cases of attacks by representatives of their own species. Humans and large animals should also be wary of these predators.
Snakehead habitat.
The green dragon often changes its place of residence. He can stubbornly crawl from pond to pond. Most often this happens after a food shortage occurs in the old place. The snakehead prefers to settle in snags, very quiet reservoirs, sometimes heavily overgrown with various aquatic vegetation. Even the lack of oxygen in them does not frighten representatives of this family of fish.
Living in such a place, they eliminate the lack of oxygen by periodically floating to the surface of the water and swallowing air with a special chomping sound. The snakehead tolerates a lack of oxygen surprisingly easily, since it has epibranchial organs that allow it to use atmospheric air for breathing. Moreover, in fresh water saturated with oxygen, representatives of snakeheads may not survive without access to atmospheric air. Even in drained reservoirs, the snakehead survives by burrowing into a chamber lubricated with mucus, which it digs out in the silt, in anticipation of the new season, or easily overcomes considerable distances between reservoirs, crawling on land. It is able to stay and survive without water for five days, waiting and surviving frosts, hiding in holes.
This predator is capable of burrowing so deeply into the silt that it is difficult to find it even in a drained pond. It is the love of these fish for “secret” muddy places that makes their commercial breeding difficult, but the snakehead very quickly gains weight and grows if there is sufficient food available. Snakehead is an excellent commercial and sport fish. It has tasty meat and practically no small bones. Snakeheads are used to make delicious fish soup and delicious cutlets, and Koreans eat the meat of this strange fish raw.
Amazing fish - snakehead. In his habitats, he is a king and a god, since everything that moves around him - crawling, jumping or swimming - becomes his food and prey. These can be fish, tadpoles and frogs, invertebrates and small rodents. Large individuals can even attack waterfowl as prey, pulling them under water and waiting for the bird to suffocate there.
Lords of the reservoirs
Snakeheads have no enemies in their habitat. Even when moving to a new place of residence, they can cope with any predator that inhabits the pond. These fish are not a trivial threat to other inhabitants of water bodies. But exterminating and getting rid of them can be quite difficult, given their rapid reproduction, omnivorousness and extreme vitality. Therefore, in America, for example, the authorities do their best to prevent their appearance in the lakes and rivers of the country. It is forbidden to release them not only into water bodies, but even into sewers and toilets.
They call snakeheads "Frankenfish" and prohibit the transport of these fish from state to state and abroad. In our country, they tried to use the snakehead as a medic, to exterminate trash fish from reservoirs where their valuable species were grown. But they soon realized what a threat loomed over all living things living in these reservoirs. Moreover, getting rid of the snakehead itself is much more difficult. It is worth thinking seriously and weighing all the pros and cons before deciding to resettle and breed this “beast” in our reservoirs.
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Snakehead dishes
Snakehead fish is famous for its white, tender meat and the absence of small bones. Before cooking, it must be cleaned of entrails and scales, and the fins, tail and head removed.
Note! The snakehead has a thick skin. It can be removed from top to bottom with a “stocking” along with the scales. This can be conveniently done using pliers, after first cutting the carcass along the dorsal fin, belly and in the tail area.
You can cook fish right on the shore of a reservoir: the carcass is salted, sprinkled with lemon juice and buried in coals or placed on a grill.
Fish stewed in tomato sauce
What does a devil fish look like (photo)
You will need: snakehead, fresh tomatoes (3-4 pcs.), tomatoes, a bunch of green onions, any greens (cilantro, dill), salt, ground black pepper.
How to cook:
- cut the prepared fish into small pieces, salt and pepper to taste, let stand for 20 minutes;
- scald tomatoes with boiling water, peel and cut;
- finely chop the greens;
- Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan, fry the fish on both sides until golden brown, place on a plate;
- fry the tomatoes in the same oil;
- put the fish in the resulting sauce, cover with a lid, simmer for 15 minutes.
The finished fish is transferred to a deep dish and sprinkled with a large amount of herbs on top.
