Fresh water; tropical Africa and southern Asia such as China, Indonesia, Phillipines, Cambodia, and Pakistan.

HABITS:

O. punctatus is one of the few species of snakeheads that is primarily insectivorous. They possess a unique accessory air breathing apparatus that allows them to survive low oxygen conditions. Additionally, they are very tolerant of adverse water quality parameters and fluctuations in temperatures.

SPAWNING:

Little scientific work has been done to examine the reproductive behavior of this fish. It is however, an oviparous multiple spawner. Artificial spawning has been attempted and successfully achieved in China using pituitary extract as a hormone inducer, but this event was poorly documented and the practice is rare. Generally natural production of these fish in ponds is adequate to supply these Asia countries with young channa.

GROWTH:

Snakeheads may attain lengths up to 120cm; however, O. punctatus is a small representative of the genera reaching a maximum length of 30cm.

USES:

Snakeheads are raised for food in Asia countries and are also sold in the aquarium trade.

CULTURE:

These fish are commonly raised in ponds as a polyculture species. In Thailand they are raised in manure ponds as a n insignificant crop subordinate to tilapia and Pangasius catfish. Cage culture is common in Cambodia where they are second in culture importance to Pangasius. In India and Pakistan they are raised in ponds, irrigation wells, and rice fields, but generally extensively at low densities.

REFERENCES:

Avault, J.W. 1996. Fundamentals of Aquaculture. AVA Publising Company Inc., Baton Rouge, Lousiana.

Bardach, J.E, J. H. Ryther, and W.O. McLarney. 1972. Aquaculture The farming and husbandry of freshwater and marine organisms. John Wiley and Sons, New York.

Nelson, J.S. 1994. Fishes of the World. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York.