10 Types of Snakehead Fish for Cultivation

There are 50 types of snakehead fish that are scattered in Asian waters which have tropical and subtropical climates. Some of them are located in Myanmar, India, Iraq, China (China), Bangladesh and Indonesia itself. Snakehead fish, which is also often called channa fish, belongs to the Channidae family. This fish is a predatory fish that lives in fresh water. 

There are several types of snakehead fish in the Channidae family in Indonesia which are intended for consumption, namely snakehead fish (Channa striata) and toman fish (Channa micropletes). However, nowadays there are also people who deliberately keep this snake-headed fish as a pet ornamental fish because of its body color and aggressive nature.

It is not surprising that many cultivators are starting to try their luck in cultivating snakehead fish. Let's find out the types of snakehead fish that are profitable when cultivated, and how to care for them.

Characteristics of Snakehead Fish

Apart from salmon and tuna, fish from the genus Channa can also be consumed because they contain good nutrition and are high in nutrition. The protein content in snakehead fish reaches 25.5%. The type of protein contained in snakehead fish is a type of albumin which is useful for healing wounds.

It is difficult to distinguish snakehead fish from other types of freshwater fish when looking for them directly in nature. Therefore, here are the characteristics of snakehead fish that you need to know:

1. Body length reaches 1 m
2. Headed like a snake, that's why it's often called snakeheads
3. Scaly and large on the head
4. Has a body shape like a bullet, with a smooth body texture
5. Dark in color according to their habitat
6. It has a large, wide mouth and sharp teeth

Types of Snakehead Fish in Indonesia

As already mentioned, there are 50 species of snakehead fish in the world which are scattered in several waters in Asia. However, there are only about 10 types of snakehead fish in Indonesia. The following is a list of types of snakehead fish in Indonesia, complete with physical characteristics and estimated prices.

1. Barca Cork Fish

The first type of cork fish is the Channa barca cork fish. This type of fish lives in the waters of the Brahmaputra river basin in Northeast India and Bangladesh waters. The local name of the channa barca fish is cheng garaka or garak cheng.

Chana cork fish has a characteristic green body with black dots all over its body, and there is a yellow line on its fins. The combination of colors and patterns makes this type of fish look elegant and exotic. The maximum length of the channa barca fish is between 90-105 cm.

Regarding the price itself, Channa barca fish is known for the most fantastic prices compared to other types of snakehead fish. The price of channa barca fish can reach 1 million Rupiah per cm. The cheapest price on the market is at 15-35 million Rupiah.

2. Auranti Snakehead Fish

The next type of snakehead fish in Indonesia is the snakehead fish auranti or channa auranti fish which are sold from 1 million to tens of millions of Rupiah. This predatory fish lives in the waters of the Brahmaputra river in northern India. Channa auranti can live in a tropical rain forest climate which has heavy rain intensity with high humidity and temperature during summer or dry season.

The local name for channa auranti is Naga-cheng, while the scientific name is orange spotted snakehead. named spotted snakehead because this snakehead fish has a number of white or orange spots or spots all over its body.

Apart from its spots, the channa auranti also has the characteristic orange or yellowish vertical stripes and the black and blue fins of the fish. The maximum length of the channa auranti only reaches 40-50 cm.

3. Gachua Snakehead Fish

Channa gachua fish is a type of snakehead fish that is widely circulated in several countries in Asia, especially South Asia. Also known as fish dwarf snakehead This species can be found in the territorial waters of Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. The natural habitat of the cork gachua is lakes, swamps and large rivers with small currents. 

The maximum size of the gachua cork reaches 25 cm. Another feature of the gachua fish is its dark brown body color and black on some sides of its body. In addition, the gachua fish has black fins combined with bright blue and orange.

Channa gachua fish is usually sold in the market starting at 75-200 thousand Rupiah. Channa gachua fish seeds are usually sold at prices starting at 25 thousand Rupiah.

4. Fish Snakehead Striata

Striata cork fish is a type of cork fish in Indonesia which is usually intended for daily consumption. So, if you have ever eaten snakehead fish, it is most likely the striata type of snakehead fish. 

This type of striata is indeed recommended for consumption rather than rearing because it contains high levels of nutrients and albumin protein. Albumin itself is useful for the wound recovery process, such as in postoperative or postpartum patients.

Striata snakehead fish can be found in the waters of Southeast Asia. This type of cork fish has many local names, among them chevron snakehead, common snakehead, snakehead murrel, And striped snakehead, depending on the region.

The physical characteristics of the cork striata fish are that the body is black, but the underside is white. The size of the cork striata fish can reach 1 m. Although all types of Channa striata fish are consumed, there is also a type of snakehead fish which is used as an ornamental predatory fish because it has a unique body shape, namely the albino Channa striata fish.

For the price, Channa striata is sold at a relatively cheap price, starting from 60 thousand Rupiah. Then, albino Channa striata fish are sold starting from 200 thousand Rupiah.

5. Yellow Sentarum Snakehead Fish

You can find snakehead fish or channa yellow sentarum fish in the waters of Sentarum Lake, Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan. The physical characteristics of the channa yellow sentarum snakehead fish are the combination of black and yellow all over its body. The price of the yellow sentarum channa fish is quite affordable, starting at 30-45 thousand Rupiah per head for a size of 5-6 cm.

6. Andrao Snakehead Fish

The smallest type of snakehead fish in the world is the channa andrao fish, which measures 11 cm. Even though it has a small size, this fish has quite a lot of enthusiasts. This fish is often used as an ornamental predatory fish because it has a unique body shape and attractive colors, namely a brownish gray body and blue fins. The price for channa andrao snakehead fish starts from 15-250 thousand Rupiah.

7. Argus Cork Fish

The next type of snakehead fish is the channa argus fish. This fish can be found in the territorial waters of China, South Korea, North Korea and Russia. Fish that go into class Actinopterygii This is an invasive fish because it is considered to disturb the local fish ecosystem.

Some of the physical characteristics of the channa argus fish are body size up to 1 m, has black spots on the body, and has a python-like pattern. Its physical characteristics are similar to that of a python which makes the channa argus fish in great demand by collectors of predatory fish. The selling price itself is quite high, which is between 800 thousand-4.5 million Rupiah.

8. Diplogramma Snakehead Fish

The dipogramma snakehead fish originates from the mountains of the Western Ghats, India. The local name of channa diplomagramma is malabar snakehead. This fish has a maximum body length of 44 cm and has a body like a toman fish.

The physical characteristics of the dipogramma snakehead fish are the presence of a horizontal line that stretches from head to tail and black spots on its back. The price for the cork diploma itself starts at 200-350 thousand Rupiah on the market.

9. Marulioides Snakehead Fish

Marulioides or cork fish emperor snakehead is a snakehead fish that comes from the waters of the Islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. In nature, this type of fish can be up to 60 cm long. The most popular type of Channa marulioides fish is channa red spotted marulioides or red eye maru.

The physical characteristics of the cork marulioides fish are a white body at the bottom, brown at the top, and there is a black vertical line in the middle. On the fins of the cork marulioides fish there is a bright blue line. In addition to the physical characteristics already mentioned, type channa yellow maru sentarum has a bright yellow color and type red eye maru has an orange color.

Prices for channa marulioides range from 50-200 thousand Rupiah, depending on the size and pattern, while prices for channa maru seeds start at 50 thousand Rupiah on the market. Price red eye maru And yellow maru sentarum from 400-600 thousand Rupiah on the market.

10. Lucius Snakehead Fish

The last type of cork fish is Lucius cork fish or forest snakehead which can be found in the waters of Indonesia and Thailand. In Thailand, this type of cork fish is called pla krasong, whereas in Vietnam it is called by name kanh chon chey. In Malaysia, Channa Lucius is nicknamed the persuasive fish, while in Kalimantan it is called the runtuk fish.

The maximum length of this fish reaches 40 cm. This fish has a distinctive patterned body that resembles a python, dominated by black and brown which emphasizes its exotic impression. Prices for channa lucius seeds start from 25 thousand Rupiah, while the price for mature fish ranges from 100-500 thousand Rupiah.

Tips for Caring for Snakehead Fish

Caring for snakehead fish is not too difficult, but it requires precision, thoroughness, and patience, for example by regularly paying attention to the quality of the pond water. Here are tips on caring for snakehead fish.

1. Cultivation Media

Concrete ponds or earthen ponds can be used as media for snakehead fish cultivation. However, if you have limited capital, then using a tarpaulin pond as a cultivation medium is not a problem. Any cultivation media can be used according to the availability of business capital.

2. Pool Water Quality

To maintain the quality of pool water, you are advised to use poor sand to protect pool water from ammonia. If you don't use poor sand, you have to drain the pool water regularly. In order to avoid potential stress on snakehead fish, it is best to leave ⅓ of the water when the pond is drained and replace the rest with new water.

3. Selection of Snakehead Fish Broods

The cultivation process will run smoothly if you use sires whose quality is guaranteed. Characteristic features cork parent superior among them is the shape of the oval head, the body weight of the fish is 1 kg, the body color is dark, and the reddish color is visible on the genital opening.

4. Tricks to Avoid Stress Fish Snakehead

Apart from water quality, there are several other factors that can increase cork stress, such as the pond environment/ecosystem and the cultivation media used. To avoid stress on snakehead fish, here's how:

• Do not immediately put the snakehead fish in the aquaculture pond. Carry out the acclimatization process by letting the snakehead fish in a plastic placed on the surface of the culture pond for about 15 minutes so that the cork can adapt to the pool water temperature.
• The size of the pond should be 2-3 times larger than the size of the cork.
• Do not use a water pump in a cork culture pond.
• When using additional accessories in the pool, don't overdo it or get too full.

5. Pay attention to the Feeding of Snakehead Fish

When it is still a snakehead fish seed or larva, you need to feed artemia nauplii 3 times a day. Adult cork can be given live food in the form of shrimp, worms and crickets.

Cleanliness of this live food needs attention, for example by removing the shells of shrimp or cutting the wings and legs of crickets. Apart from that, you can also provide cork feed in the form of pellets or maggot dry.