Golden Cobra Snakehead
Channa aurantimaculata
(Musikasinthorn, 2000)
What are they and how big do they get?
Channa aurantimaculata is a striking species of snakehead and is endemic to the Brahmaputra River basin in northeastern India.
It is sometimes seen on sale as the orange-spotted snakehead but is perhaps better known as the golden cobra snakehead.
A size of around 16 in (40 cm) is to be expected.
What temperature can they be kept at?
This is not a tropical species. It is a subtropical species that requires seasonal variation for health, longevity, and breeding purposes. When maintained at a constant temperature, they're susceptible to health issues and a reduced lifespan—such a situation must be avoided.
Often, seasonal variation can be applied by simply running their aquarium without a heater. This will allow the water temperature to drop during autumn and winter and then rise again in spring and summer. A wintering temperature of around 10-12 °C (50-53 °F) and a summer temperature in the mid-20s (around 77 °F) work well.
How many can be kept together?
A single specimen, a pair, or a group with caution.
Golden cobra snakeheads may cohabitate as a group, but things can soon escalate, especially if/when a pair forms. In the event of a pair forming, ensure that any other fish are removed or deaths can be expected!
If you're planning to establish a pair from a group of juveniles, a group of 6 is often a good starting point. As above, when a pair has formed, intervention is needed.
Please note: Unlike many other species of snakehead, golden cobra snakeheads tend to form strong bonds. However, even pairs that are well-bonded can occasionally experience a fallout. The fallout is sometimes referred to as a divorce. If a divorce happens (and unpredictably, it can), be prepared to split the pair. An attempt to reintroduce the pair should happen in late winter/early spring, as that is when the fish will be looking to find a mate and breed. Pairing out of season is not advised!
Water parameters?
Golden cobra snakeheads are hardy fish that tolerate a wide range of conditions and parameters.
pH – 6.0-8.0
dGH - up to 20 degrees.
What do they eat in captivity and how often should they be fed?
Snakeheads will accept many food items. However, to provide a well-balanced and healthy diet, we recommend the following foods:
Dried foods: Crushed flakes may be fed to fry. Pellets (such as Hikari Cichlid Gold) can be fed to juveniles and adults, increasing the pellet size in accordance with the fish's size.
Dendrobaena/Earthworms: They're a delicious treat that can often be purchased at pet shops or angling supply shops. They can also be locally harvested, but make sure they're not contaminated with any insecticides or pesticides. Such contaminations could be detrimental to your fish.
Insects – crickets, locusts, etc. These can be purchased at pet shops. Insects are a fantastic food, and to increase their nutritional value, they can be gutloaded. To gut-load them, simply ensure that the insects have been fed some nutritious greens before using them as a food item.
Feeding frequency is heavily dependent on the time of year. During the height of summer, foods may be offered several times a week. During the depth of winter, there will be periods where no food is required at all. To coincide with the seasons and natural food availability, a snakehead keeper should increase/decrease feeding accordingly.
It is important to note that snakeheads are gluttonous, making them prone to obesity. Monitor their weight, and if they appear to be carrying excess weight, cut their feeding back until they return to a healthy state.
Which tankmates are recommended?
None. We do not recommend any tankmates.
Given their care requirements and unpredictable nature, a species-specific aquarium is by far the most sensible and safest approach.
The aquarium?
The aquarium should be spacious and enriching.
Wood and rocks can be used and arranged in such a way to provide areas of refuge and rest. The aquarium can be generously planted, although golden cobra snakeheads are known to dig and may uproot plants.
Floating plants are great in an aquarium containing snakeheads, as they provide shelter, help diffuse bright lighting, and go some way towards restraining a particularly jumpy snakehead.
On the subject of jumping, snakeheads can be masters of escape. Therefore, it is imperative that the aquarium be secure. A tight-fitting lid (possibly weighed down) is essential.
Snakeheads are obligate air-breathers, meaning that they must surface for air; otherwise, they'll drown. Be sure to leave a sufficient gap between the lid and the surface of the water.
Will they breed in captivity?
Yes, golden cobra snakeheads are frequently bred in captivity.
To breed, conditioning is essential. If they haven't been wintered, they will not breed in spring. In late winter and into spring the daylight hours increase, as does the temperature. Now is the time when golden cobra snakeheads will be looking to find a mate and breed.
During pairing, there may be squabbles, bite marks, torn fins, and chasing. It is to be expected, and it is often referred to as the balancing act. Essentially, the female will challenge the male, and provided that he rises to the challenge, a bond may form.
A bonded pair may be witnessed circling their bodies around each other—this is the embrace. A successful embrace will result in milt and eggs being released, which float to the surface. Being a paternal mouthbrooding species, the male collects the eggs using his mouth, where he'll begin incubation. Over the period of a week or two, the eggs should hatch and develop into fully formed fry before leaving the safety of Dad's mouth!
Golden cobra snakeheads are providers of trophic eggs. The provision of trophic eggs is to serve as a source of nutrition rather than reproduction. They're provided to the fry by their mother for the first several months of life. It is important that the fry are left with their mother, as the trophic eggs are crucial for the early stages of the fry's life.
When the fry are around a month old, crushed flakes can be introduced into their diet. They'll grow quickly and attain a size of several inches within a couple of months.
Other notes
The discovery of an escaped snakehead is concerning. Often, our initial reaction is to panic and put the escaped snakehead straight back into the main aquarium. Doing so may prove to be a fatal mistake!
We often don't know how long the snakehead has been out of the water for, and if it is exhausted, it may be too weak to surface for air and will drown.
An escaped snakehead can be placed into a bucket containing just enough aquarium water to cover its back. This way, the snakehead can easily breathe from the surface and have time to rest and recover. When sufficiently recovered, it can be placed back into the main aquarium.
Conclusion
Golden cobra snakeheads are easily one of the most beautiful of all snakehead species. It comes as no surprise that they're highly sought after. They're sometimes confused with a closely related species: Channa barca. However, in contrast, Channa aurantimaculata is an easy species to obtain and far more affordable, deeming the golden cobra snakehead a must-have for any snakehead enthusiast!