Toman

Toman (Channa Micropeltes) also known as Snakehead.

Snakeheads - A common food fish in parts of Asia and a very fierce predator in the wild. It's known as snakehead due to the resemblance of its head to a snake. Snakeheads are freshwater fish from the genus Channa. The more popularly known species are the Toman (Giant snakehead) and the Haruan (Common snakehead). Both are considered food fish and can be bought from wet markets.

Juveniles swim in schools, but adults are solitary or occur in pairs. They build bubble nests, and are the top predators in many freshwater lakes in the region. They feed on almost anything - smaller fish, frogs, baby turtles and even baby ducks. The snakehead is tolerant of anaerobic conditions because it is endowed with an air breathing apparatus. Their air breathing capabilities allow them to 'walk' on land from one body of water to another by lateral undulations of their body. The fish can live in waters having pH values of 4 to 9 and can survive the drought season in low oxygen content muddy waters. The snakeheads settle in the mud of drying bodies of water and continue to burrow deeper as the drying continues. Here the fish can survive without water for several months in a torbid state, subsisting on atmospheric oxygen and stored fat until the rain returns.

Here's a brief summary of the most common Snakeheads :-

COMMON NAME(s): Giant snakehead, Red snakehead, Toman SCIENTIFIC NAME: Channa Micropeltes (Channidae Genus) DESCRIPTION: The Toman is the largest of all Snakehead species in the world. They can grow to a length of about 1 metres and is an extremely tough and hardy predator. It is also considered to be one of the best fighting fresh water game fish by local anglers. This quality, coupled with its good tasting flesh, makes the Toman one of the most sought after game fish in Singapore and Malaysia. Size: Up to 1 meter in the wild. CHARACTERISTICS: Very Aggressive and predacious. Best kept with larger or similar size fishes. DISTRIBUTION: Asia & South East Asia HABITAT: It inhabits rivers, canals, lakes, ponds, swamps, marshes, padi fields, mining pools and road side ditches. It becomes the top predator in these waters. DIET: Live food, beef heart, worms, meaty foods. Lampan, small carps and frogs. WATER: 6.0-7.2 Temperature : 73- 80 °F Size : up to 1 metres / 36 inches. BREEDING: Channas are nest-brooding species. The nest is prepared by the parent fish who bite off the aquatic vegetation over a roundish area in shallow water near the shore. The snakehead can breed when it is 9 months old, at a total length of about 21 cm. After the eggs are laid, they float and form a thin film at the surface. Generally, the male parent guards the nest during the incubation period which lasts 3 days. FISHING TECHNIQUES: Use 2 hooks on a single line leader to ensure a better hook-up. For live bait such as Lampann or small carps, allow it to sink slightly submerged from the surface.