Snake Heads

[GobyMaster]

I am hoping to go looking for a snakehead sometime soon for a 30 gallon oddball tank I want to set up.
Can someone tell me the smallest snakehead often sold, and how hard it is to keep them?

I'm really interested in snakeheads, and I want to put some in a tank.

Any help such as care or pictures of snakehead setups would be nice.

GobyMaster

 

[pica_nuttalli]

sadly, you won't be able to get any as all snakeheads are illegal in the US.

 

[CAC]

sadly, you won't be able to get any as all snakeheads are illegal in the US.

Really? I wouldnt have imagined that...But then again you cant keep asian aros either...
The smalest that are commonly available are probably channa bleheri, the rainbow snakehead (its in my avitar aswell, great looking fish...)
By the way, I dont know what time it is over there, but its 2 in the afternoon here in Koh Samui in Thailand...The hotel we're staying at has a huge pond, with loads of guppies in it, you can even see some of them breeding and everything...Going diving in a couple of days too.

 

[GobyMaster]

Couldn't you get a permit that would allow you to get a snakehead or other banned fish in the US??

GobyMaster

 

[PRW1988]

Permits wouldn't be issued on any banned fish. The reason fish like these are banned is because IF released into an eco-system they would destroy it, as they're new fish that have no natural enemies. Fish bans happen all over in the US, this is to prevent people from simply dumping the fish into the nearest river/lake/body of water.

Not to say that you'd do this, but I doubt the government would permit you to own these fish regardless as they wouldn't want the risk.

 

[Fruitbat]

I mentioned this in another of GobyMaster's posts but I'll clarify it here as well. Snakeheads are not illegal in every state in the United States. There is, however, a Federal ban in place on the importation and interstate transport of snakeheads and their eggs in place. What this means, essentially, is that if you happen to live in one of the states where snakeheads are not prohibited then you are able to keep them. You cannot, however, ship them or their eggs across state lines and no new snakeheads are being legally imported into the United States.

Hope this helps clear things up,

-Joe