Black Snakehead

Common Name: Snakehead, Mudfish

Local Name: Dalag, Haruan (Tagalog), Haruan, Haluan(Cebuano)

Max Size:  30 cm ( 1 kgs )

Biodiversity: Freshwater,  Endemic

Depth: 1 – 10m

Fishing Season:  All Year Long

Minimum Size Limit:  10 inches

Recommended Bait/Lures:  Shrimp, Minnows, Frog lures, Spinnerbaits, and more

IUCN Red List Status:  Least Concern (LC)

Here is a Black Snakehead caught in Taal Lake by Buboy.  This species is quite rare here in the Philippines compared to its cousin the Striped Snakehead.  It can be differentiated from its cousin by the lack of a white underbelly.  The Black Snakehead can be found throughout South East Asia from Thailand over to the Philippines and Malaysia.  This species is reported to grow up to 30 cm.   This fish was caught on a medium running crank bait.

Below is a picture of the fish’s mouth: