It is never wise to come between a parent and their children, particularly if that parent has a reinforced cranium, bone-crushing jaws and a fierce temper.
The giant snakehead (Channa micropeltes) may not grow to the enormity of other giant freshwater fish, but adults can still reach 30kg in weight and measure 1.5 metres long. The slim body, when propelled by the large, paint-brush tail, delivers rapid, short-burst speed, enabling the fish to ambush prey or power into potential predators larger than themselves – including humans.
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Native to Southeast Asia, Indonesia and The Malay Peninsula, the giant snakehead is adapted to inhabit almost any freshwater environment. A suprabranchial chamber, situated behind the gills, acts as a lung by filtering oxygen from gulps of air the fish takes from the water’s surface.
This enables the snakehead to flourish in oxygen-deficient water and also survive for long periods on land. The pelvic fins are positioned close to the pectorals, meaning it can stabilise when out of the water and manoeuvre with snake-like twists of its body.
The dorsal fin runs along the back and almost to the tail, with the anal fin of a similar, unbroken length. The upper parts of an adult fish are dark and mottled with subtle greens and pinks that appear iridescent in sunlight. These colours are separated from the pale belly by a thick, dark stripe along the flank.
Once believed to be the same species, the Malabar snakehead (Channa diplogramma) was separated from Channa micropeltes in 2011 and is considered vulnerable in the areas of India where it is found. Micropeltes, meanwhile, has inadvertently expanded its own range following escapes and illegal releases, primarily due to its popularity among fish-keepers.
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Its breathing ability means it survives well in indoor aquariums, provided the water temperature is sufficiently warm. They are voracious predators though, unfussy eaters with a wide gape and razor-sharp teeth.
Prey might be bitten in half during an initial, lunged ambush, with the snakehead then mopping up the pieces. This enables them to tackle creatures up to a third of their own length as part of a diet that may include waterbirds and mammals alongside amphibians, crustaceans and fish.
Though unusual, attacks on people are usually the result of a defensive lunge. Both the male and female giant snakehead will guard their eggs and young and often do so by charging would-be threats.
There are reports of divers having been rammed so hard that the air is knocked from their lungs, with one, albeit disputed, case of a man in Thailand drowning as a result. More familiar are lacerations caused by a bite, which may require medical attention and are prone to infection.
Certainly, the threat to humans is deemed sufficient for the US Geological Survey to issue public caution should anyone encounter a giant snakehead. Though non-native in the US, they have been recorded in at least six states, while invasive populations in Sri Lanka and Taiwan are causing concern for native species.
It’s probably wise to watch where you paddle, just in case.
