Beauty And The Beast

Mention the word “Snakehead” to a conservationist and you’re likely to set knees a-tremble, as these beautiful predators are often billed as bad news for any new ecosystem they spread to. Much has been written about their seemingly unstoppable ability to take over new environments, but as with so many other things in life, it’s often a case of the troublemakers giving the rest a bad name…

The largest examples of this voracious top-level predator - Ophiocephalus micropeltes or the “Giant Snakehead” are indeed real freshwater beasts - reaching a length of 4.3 feet (1.3 meters) and a weight of 20kg. They prey on invertebrates, frogs, and smaller fish, and while native to the fresh waters of Southeast Asia, they have also been introduced elsewhere, including in over six US States including Wisconsin, Maryland, and parts of Virginia. where they are considered an invasive and wholly unwelcome species. Believed to be former pets that were released when their owners no longer wanted to feed them, they have now taken root and established reproducing populations that are busy decimating native fish populations there.

As a result, Snakeheads are often feared in the West, but not all Snakeheads are the same. Channa bleheri, or the “Rainbow Snakehead” for example, is a much smaller example whose riotous colour has made it popular amongst adventurous aquarists. Growing to a far more manageable maximum of 20cm, this “dwarf snakehead” is peaceful enough to be kept in some community tanks, albeit with the right tank mates. It’s unusual in that it is only one of three fish in the world to lack pelvic fins, but like all snakeheads, it breathes through both its gills and labyrinth organ in order to avoid drowning.

Not all snakeheads are bent on wreaking havoc on native ecosystems then, but the authorities here are nevertheless taking the threat seriously, with at least one species subject to an outright ban in the UK.