News
SpeciesScientists Discover Mysterious New Fish in the Red Sea – and Have Never Seen It AgainOceanEye to eye with Britain's hidden sharks at SharkAdemy - OceanographicRiversIn October, biologists surveying a New York harbor for invasive fish pulled up a bright yellow one. It wasn't an invasive species at allOceanShedd Aquarium Sends Shark Eggs to Bolster Wild PopulationsSpeciesA rare fish has been found in Lake Ontario, North America, whose entire body is golden. It is a nati..OceanThe Great Sea Reef Is Fiji’s Wildest Dive, and a New Frontier for ConservationOceanEckerd College professor contributes to designating Biscayne Bay an Important Shark and Ray AreaSpeciesRio Verde Grande Survey Identifies Fifty-Three Fish Species Facing Flow ReductionsFisheriesAdams River Salmon Run in Thompson-NicolaIndiaHilsa production dropped 26% in five years, fisheries minister tells parliamentSpeciesScientists Discover Mysterious New Fish in the Red Sea – and Have Never Seen It AgainOceanEye to eye with Britain's hidden sharks at SharkAdemy - OceanographicRiversIn October, biologists surveying a New York harbor for invasive fish pulled up a bright yellow one. It wasn't an invasive species at allOceanShedd Aquarium Sends Shark Eggs to Bolster Wild PopulationsSpeciesA rare fish has been found in Lake Ontario, North America, whose entire body is golden. It is a nati..OceanThe Great Sea Reef Is Fiji’s Wildest Dive, and a New Frontier for ConservationOceanEckerd College professor contributes to designating Biscayne Bay an Important Shark and Ray AreaSpeciesRio Verde Grande Survey Identifies Fifty-Three Fish Species Facing Flow ReductionsFisheriesAdams River Salmon Run in Thompson-NicolaIndiaHilsa production dropped 26% in five years, fisheries minister tells parliament
EveryFish
Bullseye snakehead ( Channa marulius ), adult protecting young.

Bullseye snakehead

Large air-breathing fish native to South Asia.

Photo: Ianaré Sévi, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The bullseye snakehead is a large freshwater species found across South Asia. It breathes air and grows quickly, making it valuable for food markets. Recent studies split its former range into distinct species in Southeast Asia.

Share on WhatsApp

  • Native to South Asia including India and Sri Lanka
  • Breathes air allowing survival in low oxygen water
  • Sold live at high prices for its bone-free flesh
  • Former Southeast Asian populations are now separate species

What it is

This large fish belongs to the snakehead family. It has a long body and can breathe atmospheric air, allowing it to survive in low-oxygen water. Adults grow significantly larger than many related species. The flesh is firm with few small bones, which makes it popular for eating. It is native to South Asia, though populations once grouped with it in Southeast Asia are now classified as separate species.

Where it lives

The species is widespread in India, inhabiting reservoirs and rivers. It lives in dams across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Himachal Pradesh. In Sri Lanka, it occupies waterways in the northern dry zone and southwestern wet zones. Specific local populations exist in the Mahaweli River basin. The fish thrives in standing and flowing freshwater bodies throughout these regions.

How it lives

Bullseye snakeheads are fast growers compared to other members of their genus. Their ability to breathe air helps them endure intensive farming conditions and poor water quality. They are predatory fish that hunt in various freshwater environments. This adaptability allows them to establish strong populations in man-made reservoirs and natural river systems alike.

Bullseye snakehead
A drawing made by EveryFish from what this page says. It is a diagram, not a picture of the real fish.

Fish and people

Local communities value this fish for its taste and market price. It is often sold live in markets across India. Regional names include Soal in Himachal Pradesh and Xal in Assam. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it is called Korrameenu. Farmers cultivate it intensively because it grows quickly and handles crowded conditions well due to its air-breathing capability.

Channa marulia
Channa marulia. Photo: Anup Sadi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Questions people ask about Bullseye snakehead

Where does the bullseye snakehead live?

It is native to South Asia, found in rivers and reservoirs across India and Sri Lanka. It thrives in dams and lakes in states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Assam.

Why is this fish good for farming?

It grows faster than many related species and can breathe air. This trait allows it to survive in dense, low-oxygen water conditions typical of intensive aquaculture.

Is it the same as snakeheads in Thailand?

No. Populations in Southeast Asia were once considered the same species but are now classified separately. Thai and Myanmar populations belong to different scientific species.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Channa marulius", 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 Bullseye snakehead

All other fish
🇺🇬 UgandaNangnang fish A small freshwater fish from the Nile basin, prized as a fried snack in Uganda.Other · Rivers and lakes WorldNile perch Large freshwater predator native to Africa, now invasive in many lakes.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇺🇬 Uganda and 2 moreSilver cyprinid A small pelagic fish from Lake Victoria that supports regional food security.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇧🇷 Brazil and 3 moreTambaqui A large freshwater fish from South America known for its heavy body and seed-eating habits.Other · Rivers and lakes

More from Channidae

All of them
WorldSnakehead Elongated freshwater predators with air-breathing organs found in Asia and Africa.Other · Rivers and lakes Southeast AsiaGiant snakehead A large freshwater predator from Southeast Asia known for air breathing and invasive potential.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 4 moreSpotted snakehead Small carnivorous fish from South AsiaOther · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇷 Iran and 4 moreDwarf snakehead Small freshwater fish native to southern AsiaOther · Rivers and lakes

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly digest

Every Monday: the fish of the day, new pages on EveryFish, and the conferences and anniversaries of the week ahead.