Snakehead, Blotched (Channa maculata)
Max size 20cm.
Predatory.
The Blotched Snakehead is found throughout Asia in Thailand, Japan, southern China, Viet Nam, Taiwan and the Philippines.
The Blotched Snakehead is a small member of the Channidae (snakeheads) family of fishes that is of the Perciformes (Perch-like fishes) order of fish and is an extremely aggressive predatory fish.
The well camouflaged and highly predatory Blotched Snakehead is a predatory fish species found in small streams, ponds and rivers where it subsists on a varied diet of crustaceans, large insects, frogs and small fishes.
The Blotched Snakehead also known as the Mullet Snakehead is a streamlined freshwater predator which favours ambush attacks on its unsuspecting prey from amongst submerged structure and aquatic vegetation.
The ferocious Blotched Snakehead has a large broad head with short snout and is equipped with a hinged protractile mouth with extended lower jaw.
The Blotched Snakehead is covered in a brown fine mesh-like scaling which displays two rows of dark coloured blotches on its lateral surface.
The Blotched Snakehead displays black stripes on the edge of its dorsal fin, anal fin and its rounded caudial fin further disrupting the overall pattern of the Blotched Snakehead to nearby prey fish.
The Blotched Snakehead builds underwater ‘bubble nests’ during spawning in which eggs are then deposited. The Blotched Snakehead is a mouth brooder instinctively protecting its young inside the mouth of the fish.
At times of spawning and hatching the adult Blotched Snakehead becomes highly protective and aggressive attacking anything that threatens the newly hatched young.
The Blotched Snakehead is an extremely aggressive and predatory monster fish that is highly sought after by visiting lure fishing and Snakehead fishing fans to Thailand.
Blotched Snakehead are regularily caught whilst lure fishing in Thailand at various natural dams and reservoirs in addition to various commercial fishing lakes and ponds.
The Blotched Snakehead is found throughout the natural waterways and lakes of Thailand and is considered to be of a low vulnerability with healthy population densities in Asia.
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