Striped snakehead (Channa striata) is a freshwater, brackish species recorded in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia. It is mainly found over mud, at depths of 1–10 m. The main season in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia runs all year.
Scientific name: Channa striata · Water: Freshwater, Brackish · Season: All year
Size: 20–90 cm
Weight: 0.3–8 kg
The striped snakehead, 泰國鱧 in Taiwan, has a flat head, big mouth and snake-like markings and can breathe air directly, so it survives warm, muddy, low-oxygen water. It is a dominant invasive in southern Taiwanese reservoirs, ponds and lower rivers — numbers in Zengwen Reservoir are notorious — where it preys on native fish and fry. Taiwanese anglers hunt it with frog lures, soft plastics or live bait beside weed and bank cover.
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