Borna snakehead
A rare small snakehead from the Chel River.
The Borna snakehead is a small predatory fish native to the Chel River in northern Bengal. It breathes atmospheric air and lives in warm fresh water. This species remains extremely rare in the wild.
- Native only to the Chel River drainage.
- Grows up to 25 cm in length.
- Breathes atmospheric air via suprabranchial organ.
- Extremely rare in the wild.
- Young found in flooded paddy-fields.
What it is
The Borna snakehead is a small member of the snakehead family. It reaches a maximum length of about 25 cm. Like its relatives, it possesses a suprabranchial organ. This structure allows the fish to breathe atmospheric air directly. The body is adapted for life in warm fresh water. Temperatures between 22 and 28 degrees Celsius support proper maturity. Its compact size distinguishes it from larger snakehead species.
Where it lives
This species is native to a very limited area. It lives only in the Chel River system. This river forms part of the Brahmaputra drainage basin. The range extends into the Bhutan foothills and northern Bengal in India. The fish inhabits pools within dried forest streams. During wet seasons, it moves into flooded paddy-fields surrounded by forest vegetation.
How it lives
The Borna snakehead acts as an aggressive predator. It hunts other aquatic organisms in its habitat. A key survival trait is its ability to endure low-oxygen water. Young fish thrive in these conditions from an early age. Adults must access the surface to breathe air. If blocked from the surface, they can die from oxygen deprivation. This behaviour is common among snakeheads.
Breeding and life cycle
Specific spawning habits are not detailed in the records. Observations note that young fish appear in flooded paddy-fields during rainy periods. These areas are typically enclosed by forest. The presence of juveniles in these shallow, temporary waters suggests seasonal reproduction linked to monsoon rains and flooding events.
Fish and people
Its smaller stature makes this snakehead easier to keep in home aquaria than larger relatives. However, hobbyists must be cautious. Snakeheads are hardy and gregarious. There is a significant danger that released pets could become invasive species in non-native environments. For this specific rare species, such establishment has not yet occurred. Local names include bora cheng and borna.
Status and threats
The Borna snakehead is described as an extremely rare species. Its limited distribution in the Chel River drainage contributes to this scarcity. While the risk of it becoming invasive exists due to its hardy nature, its rarity has prevented this phenomenon so far. No specific conservation status or protection measures are listed.
Questions people ask about Borna snakehead
Where does the Borna snakehead live?
It is native only to the Chel River in the Brahmaputra drainage. This area includes the Bhutan foothills and northern Bengal in India. It prefers warm fresh water between 22 and 28 degrees Celsius.
Can this fish breathe air?
Yes, it requires access to atmospheric oxygen. It uses a suprabranchial organ, a primitive labyrinth-like structure, to breathe air. Adults can die if deprived of surface access, though young tolerate low-oxygen water.
Is it dangerous to local ecosystems?
Snakeheads are hardy and can become serious invasive species if released. However, this specific species is extremely rare. There have been no reports of it establishing invasive populations due to its scarcity.
Good reading and sources
- Borna snakehead on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Borna snakehead", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.
Like Borna snakehead
All other fish
WorldLoach
Small bottom-dwelling freshwater fish found across Eurasia and Africa.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1758
Southeast AsiaBumblebee goby
Small striped freshwater and brackish gobies from AsiaOther · Rivers and lakes
WorldWeather loach
Small freshwater fish active before stormsOther · Rivers and lakes
Southeast AsiaKissing gourami
A Southeast Asian freshwater fish known for its unique mouth-to-mouth sparring behaviour.Other · Rivers and lakes