Ralf suspects that the dragon snakeheads are a relic of Gondwana. This was the landmass comprising of South America, Africa, Antarctica and India that existed until it began breaking up some 120 million years ago. Snakeheads can be weaned off live foods and have been known to readily take chunks of fish, mussels, shrimps for human consumption, and commercial pelleted foods of the meaty kind — such as sinking pellets or even commercial fish pellets such as trout chow. Despite their predatory nature, smaller snakeheads are retiring in nature, so can suffer at the hands of large, aggressive cichlids.

The Snakehead by Patrick Radden Keefe review — meet Chinatown

The Emperor is capable of reaching 65cm/26”, rendering it suitable only for the species tank, or at very best with other large tank mates — although a very large tank would be needed anyway!Epic. . . . Impressive. . . . A true-life thriller that examines just about every aspect of U.S. immigration policy.” In this thrilling story of real-life events, the bestselling author of Empire of Pain investigates a secret world run by a surprising criminal: a charismatic middle-aged grandmother, who from a tiny noodle shop in New York’s Chinatown, managed a multimillion-dollar business smuggling people.

The Snakehead: An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and The Snakehead: An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and

In the summer of 2002 and again in late spring 2004, Channa argus, the northern snakehead, generated national media attention when anglers caught this fish in a pond in Maryland and, more recently, in the Potomac River in Maryland and Virginia. Fisheries scientists consider snakeheads to be invasive species because they have the potential to threaten native fishes, the recreational fishing industry, and aquatic ecosystems.There are two genera (Channa, Parachanna) containing 34 species (31 Channa and three Parachanna), although the diversity is much greater and several undescribed species, particularly from India — for example, Channa sp. 'lal cheng' and Channa sp. 'Kerala five stripe'— have already reached the aquarium trade. Oxygen tolerance

Northern snakehead - National Geographic Northern snakehead - National Geographic

Snakeheads are fairly undemanding as regards tank décor. They are not active swimmers and, when not feeding, tend to move only when surfacing for air. They spend a lot of time hovering in midwater or resting on the bottom within cover as ambush predators. Ample hiding spaces in the form of driftwood and submerged vegetation should therefore be provided. Surface cover, created by floating plants, is also recommended. An eye-opener. . . . Compelling and informative. . . . Keefe maintains a commendable fairness and objectivity reporting a fascinating story.”

Behavior of the Snakehead

B.C.'s snakehead caught after Burnaby pond drained. CBC News (Posted: June 8, 2012)". Cbc.ca. 2012-06-08 . Retrieved 2014-03-20. There’s a common misconception that air-breathing fish live in stagnant, relatively foul water in the wild and that clean water conditions are therefore not necessary in the aquarium. While some snakeheads can tolerate a wide range of water conditions — and studies have shown that the Dwarf, Spotted and Chevron can survive for at least 72 hours in pH levels from 4.3 to 9.4 — many fare poorly when water conditions are allowed to deteriorate or undergo rapid changes, as in a massive water change. Reads like a mashup of The Godfather and Chinatown, complete with gun battles, a ruthless kingpin and a mountain of cash. Except that it’s all true.’ – Time