You are at the fish shop. You see a tank full of energetic, bright red fish with black stripes. They are schooling together, begging for food, and they cost only RM 15. You think: “Wow, a beautiful, cheap schooling fish! I’ll take five for my 2-foot tank.” Stop. Put the bag down. You are about […]
Don’t Buy the Red One: Why the Cute “Red Snakehead” is a Trap Read More »
In Malaysia, the Arowana is the King. But the King needs a palace (a 5-foot tank). What if you live in a condo? What if you want a fish that recognizes you like a puppy, eats from your hand, but fits in a 1.5-foot tank? Enter the Nano Channa (Snakehead). This is the fastest-growing trend
The “Pocket Dragon”: A Beginner’s Guide to Keeping Nano Channa Read More »
In our last post, we warned you that Penang’s soft water gives Guppies “The Shimmies.” But for Channa (Snakehead) keepers, that same water is a blessing. If you are keeping Channa pulchra, Channa limbata, or Channa andrao in Penang, you are playing the game on “Easy Mode.” While hobbyists in KL and Ipoh are fighting
Why Penang is Paradise for Channa (The Soft Water Advantage) Read More »
Most fish swim away from danger. Channa don’t. They launch. If you’ve kept Channa long enough, you’ve probably heard at least one horror story— a sudden thud in the night, a lid slightly open, and a powerful fish lying on the floor the next morning. This isn’t bad luck. This is instinct. Channa jumping is
The Flying Fish: Why Channa Jump Read More »
Introduction So, you want a Channa. You’ve seen the videos on TikTok. You’ve seen the flaring fins, the blue colors, and the way they smash food. You are ready to buy one. Wait. Buying a Channa is not like buying a Guppy. If you buy the wrong Guppy, you lose RM10. If you buy the
The Channa Roadmap: From Zero to Your First “Monster” Read More »
A calm path from curiosity to confident keeper This roadmap is designed for people who: feel drawn to Channa but are overwhelmed by warnings, horror stories, and macho advice want to do things properly, not aggressively STAGE 0 — Before You Buy Anything Mindset First Goal: Decide if Channa is really for you. You must
The Channa Beginner Roadmap Read More »
Most fish die quietly. You miss a water change, the oxygen drops, and one morning they are just… gone. But a Channa survives. This is why beginners often think Channa are “easy” or “bulletproof.” They live through mistakes that would kill tetras, guppies, or even goldfish. But this toughness hides a dangerous misunderstanding. Channa don’t
The Air-Breather Reality: Why Channa Are Not Normal Fish Read More »
When you look at a Goldfish, it looks through you. Its eyes are blank. It is just swimming and existing. But when you look at a Channa (Snakehead), it looks at you. This is the main reason why people get addicted to keeping them. Yes, they have beautiful flowers and colors. But the real hook
The Water Puppy: Why Channa Owners Talk to Their Fish Read More »
We call them monsters. We call them predators. But if you ever watch a pair of Channa with their babies, you will see a side of them that is softer than most other fish. I remember fishing near a dam in Perak years ago and seeing a bright red ball of fry on the surface.
My Notes on the Gentle Monster: The Incredible Parenting of Snakeheads Read More »
In my previous note, I introduced the Channa family. But if you hang out in Malaysian fish groups long enough, you will realize that owning a Channa is just the start. There is a whole science (and art) behind keeping them. People don’t just “keep” Channa; they “groom” them. They treat them like bonsai trees,
Deep Dive: Understanding the “Maru” Obsession and the Two Types of Snakeheads Read More »
