Bangka Snakehead – Channa bankanensis

Most Indonesian anglers are familiar with the snakehead story.  These non-native fish have permeated throughout the waterways of multiple states and the Fish and Wildlife Service marked the snakehead as an “injurious species” making it illegal to import and transport the fish across state lines. Bass Pros Shops even put a bounty on the fish by offering a gift certificate reward for snakeheads captured and turned in to conservation authorities. It is an alpha predator of the freshwater ecosystem and if it becomes further dispersed, it could be impossible to eradicate.

Bangka Snakehead - Channa bankanensis

The snakehead is of the Channa genus, composed of 25 different species from Asia.  One species, channa argus, Banka or Bangka Snakehead, is the one that is the most distributed through Sumatra. Bangka Island.  but something important if you don’t know about snakehead, or Channa genus or Bangka Snakehead or Channa bankanensis, i betting you.. you will laugh if you know Synonym of the fish name above is IKAN GABUS

It’s called the snakehead for good reason.  The beady eyes of a snakehead lend it a reptilian appearance unlike the glassy eyes of bass, walleye or trout.  Also, its elongated body shape is different from most gamefish with its dorsal fin and anal fin running the length of its spine and underbelly, giving it a slithering look.  Its camouflage scales are like that of a mutant rattlesnake.

Where to Find Bangka Snakehead

The key to finding them is in slow water with lots of vegetation.  We’re talking the exact opposite of a pristine trout stream, more like a scummy warm-water ditch filled with weeds, or a flooded backwater loaded with vegetation. The fish is able to breathe air and that helps it survive in water with low levels of oxygen, which means it can tough it out in murky eutrophicated water that is heavy with algae and pollutants.

Many snakeheads in Bangka Island are caught in irrigation ditches that network the rice fields.  These man-made waterways are some of their likely hang-outs.  The snakeheads move in when the rice fields are flooded, hunting for frogs like a tiger in a bamboo jungle.  From a distance, it looks like the angler is casting not on open water but in a green field of rice.  They can travel on land by wriggling their bodies in muddy areas, thus it is prudent to not overlook even the most shallow and pathetic looking patch of water since that is sometimes their hunting ground.

Another sign of preferred snakehead habitat are water bodies with a muddy bottom.  It is unlikely to find snakeheads over rocky or pebbled lake or river beds.  These fish like the mud and the lush aquatic plants that grow there.  Stagnant wetlands, slow-moving muddy creeks, and shallow, weedy farm ponds are the places to look.  Snakeheads can be caught on open lakes occasionally when they are in cruising mode however that is an exception to their normal behavior.

Bangka Snakehead Details review

Scientific Name: Channa bankanensis

Known Common or Trade Names: Banka or Bangka Snakehead

It is important to understand that common names can be applied to many individual species and does not guarantee the correct identification of the fish in question.

Original Description: Pieter Bleeker, 1852 (Dutch ichthyologist) (Ophiocephalus bankanensis)

Lateral line scales 55-68

Scale rows between lateral line and dorsal origin 41/2

Scale rows below lateral line and anal fin origin 7-9

Preopercular scales 5-10.

Dorsal fin rays 31-45.

Anal fin rays 20-31.

Distribution: Sumatra. Bangka Island. Rivers of central, southern, and western Kalimantan. Peat swamps of Selangor. Malaysia Peninsular.

Size: 20cm & 30cm

It appears that there maybe two separate types of Channa bankanensis, one reaching 14cm the other reaching 30cm.

Description: Reddish-brown coloration

Patch of scales present on top part of the head.

Numerous spots on fins.

Large canine-like teeth on prevomer and palatines.

Lateral line scales 55-68

Scale rows between lateral line and dorsal origin 41/2

Scale rows below lateral line and anal fin origin 7-9

Preopercular scales 5-10.

Dorsal fin rays 31-45.

Anal fin rays 20-31.

Sexual Differences: Females are usually slightly plumper than the males.

Water Parameters: Does best in very soft water pH 3.8-6.5, can be kept in harder water conditions, these Channa have been found in pH as low as 2.8

Water temperature: 26-30C.

They seem to need some amount of humidic acids to really thrive (oak leaves, cones of alnus, peat or extracts of this materials).

Tanks size: The 14cm Channa bankanensis will require a minimum of an 80cm tank for a single fish or pair.

The 30cm Channa bankanensis will require a minimum of a 120cm tank for a single fish or pair.

Suggested Tanks setup: These Snakeheads require a well planted aquarium or lots of wood and rocks etc, or a combination of both.

They require plenty of Surface cover.

They require plenty of hiding places for them to retreat to.

Little or no surface movement is preferred.

These fish will do best in a soft water set up pH <6.5, this can be achieved by using Peat, Oak leaves or Almond leaves
As with most Channidae it will not tolerate other species of snakeheads in the same tank.
Does not appear to be aggressive with its own species territory wise until a pair form, then any others will be relentlessly attacked until they are either removed or are killed.

Compatibility: Channa bankanensis is very aggressive to other species and will attack other fish even bigger fish. It will bite into the stomachs and/or tails and kill and eat them.

It is always recommended that to get the best in both behavior and appearance it is best to keep Snakeheads in a species only tank and unless a pair is formed with the majority of species a single fish.

Preferred Diet: A carnivorous predator eats other fish and invertebrates. This is not a fussy eater.

In captivity will eat or attempt to eat anything meaty dead or alive that gets placed in the tank

Breeding: As normal for Snakeheads get a group of 4+ and let a pair form, the remainder will need to be removed or will be attacked relentlessly until they are killed.

Heavy fighting may be normal during breeding.

A low pH <6.5 with no surface movement and plenty of vegetation is required for a successful spawning.

Released eggs float to the surface and are collected into a raft of around 700-1500 eggs; these are guarded by the female.

The eggs hatch after about 2-3 days

snakehead fish feeding

Availability: Channa bankanensis are rarely seen in normal fish shops, however can usually be found once a year in specialty fish shops. Expect to pay around £10-20 per fish.

Since snakehead fishing is similar to bass fishing, most anglers will catch plenty of largemouth bass while scouting waters for snakehead habitation and catching bass is never a bad thing.  If a snakehead strikes and you land the fish, and never take this fish to make empek-empek or another of Bangka Island Food, then you will be restoring the ecological balance and doing all native fish a huge favor.

Additional Info:

Special thanks to Klaus de Leuw (http://www.klausdeleuw.de/Fische/Bangka.html) for allowing us to use photos and information off of his website.

Author: Karl Hatton http://www.snakeheadsuk.com & http://thesnakeheadforum.com 2009

The Predator on Fresh Water – Bangka Snakehead