Harcourt Butler's Snakehead

Channa harcourtbutleri is an endemic snakehead from Inle Lake and its associated streams in Shan State, Myanmar. It is one of the few snakehead species from a clear-water lake environment rather than turbid floodplains or blackwater swamps. Adults display dark-banded patterning on a medium-brown body and adapt well to captivity.

Inle Lake is a unique highland lake at approximately 900 m elevation, resulting in cooler water temperatures (18–24°C) than lowland tropical systems. This cooling requirement is important in captivity: maintaining temperatures in the low-to-mid 20s is essential. The species will decline in conditions exceeding 26°C for extended periods.

C. harcourtbutleri is listed as Endangered due to habitat degradation in Inle Lake. Captive specimens are valuable, and efforts by specialist keepers to breed this species contribute to conservation documentation. It is a moderately sized Channa reaching around 30 cm.

Water: 18-24°C, pH 7.0-8.0, moderately hard — cool, clear water replicating Inle Lake conditions. Tank: 250 L minimum; tight lid; driftwood and rocks for structure; no need for tropical heater. Feeding: earthworms, shrimp, frozen fish pieces; train onto prepared foods early. Breeding: rarely achieved; requires cool, well-oxygenated species aquarium. Compatibility: species-only; predatory toward all smaller fish.