Parental pair-spawner: pairs form in flooded areas or small vegetated streams at the start of the wet season and clear a patch of vegetation; the eggs float at the surface. Both parents guard eggs and fry fiercely for an extended period. Captive breeding has been achieved but needs enormous space; matures at about 2 years and 50-60 cm.
Mature pair in a very large pond.
Pond or a 4,000 L+ tank.
Warm conditions and heavy feeding.
Thousands of eggs.
Fry feed on plankton and small live food; parents guard them aggressively.
One breeding tank for the giant snakehead, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.
Water: 22–28 °C · pH 6–7.5
A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 130 cm. Tank shape is a standard 2 : 1 : 1.2 box, at least 6 adult lengths long. Check each step in the guide above.
A row of tanks on their own stands for breeding the giant snakehead in numbers.
In total: 3 tanks, about 20,000 L of water. A litre of water weighs about 1 kg, so check that the floor and rack can take the weight.
Sizes are worked out from the breeding tank in the guide. Tanks fit a standard 120 cm rack when they can; bigger tanks go on their own stands.
No reliable external way to sex this species is known.
Typical for open substrate spawners
Grow up a group and let a pair choose each other. Give them a flat stone or broad leaf.
The pair cleans the stone and lays rows of eggs. Both guard them.
Wrigglers hatch in 2–4 days and are moved to pits by the parents.
Feed baby brine shrimp several times a day. Parents often herd the fry.
Move fry to a grow-out tank before the parents spawn again.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Grow up a group and let a pair choose each other. Give them a flat stone or broad leaf.
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.