Channa Harcourtbutleri

[severum boy]

Hi all.
This Channa was brought for an aquarium in school that me and a couple of mates (RadaR is one) ran. We ordered a pair of bleheri for the tank, but the supplier had run out of them. The next week, we went back and were told that the supplier had found one small snakehead and sent it to the shop. None of us are great at identifying snakeheads, but this diddent look like any of the big uns. We rang the supplier and he said that it could only be a Channa harcourtbutleri that was left over from his last shipments out. We did a little research (not that there is much info on them) and desided to get it (for free).
After being in the tank for a couple of weeks, it gradually got over being kept with dozens of mbuna and came out more. It grew quite slowly up to about 3". Then, the Easter holidays struck and I took him home with me. After that, the teacher who owned the tank said he diddent want it anymore and wanted some different fish instead, so I was stuck with him. RESULT!!!
Anyway, in a couple of months he is now 6.5" with a nice girth. What I want to know is which sp. of Channa is he because he looks more like one of the other dwarfs, but no idea wich one. People have suggested orientalis, gachua and bleheri, but no-one has any concluding evidence. Any ideas?

Thanks everyone. He doesent look to bright in the last photos, but that shoudent matter. If you need any pics then let me know.

Max.

 

[demonmagus]

I'm no expert but I think bleheri are usually more colourful - why not send an email to wildwoods or w/e, if you don't get an answer here

 

[severum boy]

I may do. From what I know, I think orientalis has more different colours wheras the others are just blues. So I think it can be ruled out.

 

[demonmagus]

here's some more detailed info, hope it helps

http/filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/Speci...ary.php?id=5143

and here's a pic of a bleheri

http/www.aqua-global.de/Bilder/Channa_bleheri.jpg

 

[CFC]

The fish in the picture looks like a poorly coloured Channa gachua, orientalis is identical in appearance to C.gachua but does not have ventril fins.

Heres an old pic of one of my Channa gachua

 

[severum boy]

Thanks very much. I think I can discount it because every specamin i have seen seems to have more colour than just blue with a gold edge to the fins. Having said that, the orientalis in the photo on fishbase looks quite like mine. I think im gonna have to net him out and take some fin readings.

Ahah. Mine has ventral fins so it cant be a orientalis then. What about bleheri then?

 

[CFC]

Definately not a bleheri, the body markings of bleheri are flecked with red stripes and the tail contains bright orange spots. Check out the picture of the bleheri at Snakeheads.org here http/www.snakeheads.org/db/GetArticle?articleID=769 , its the second picture down.

With that white edged anal fin, orange edged dorsal and caudal fins (although dull) and striped pectorals with the blue fleshy part where they join the body i would be 95% sure thats a stressed out gachua.

 

[demonmagus]

well done what happened to your gachua?

 

[DiscusAngel]

The fish in the picture looks like a poorly coloured Channa gachua, orientalis is identical in appearance to C.gachua but does not have ventril fins.

i agree!

 

[severum boy]

Ok thanks everyone, looks like its a gachua than. I dont suppose there is any possibility that it could be a harcourtbutleri?

 

[CFC]

well done what happened to your gachua?

The one in the above picture has passed on after taking a leap of faith but i still have a pair of their off spring which are now breeding and producing my third generation of gachua's