Channidae

African snakehead

Parachanna africana

Builds nests and hunts by sudden thrust

• Tropical
• Lower river
• Regional distribution
• Freshwater fish
• Africa
• Elongated
• Medium
• Tropical fish

Parachanna africana, the African snakehead or Niger snakehead, is a species of fish from west-central Africa. Little is published on its biology. Limited primarily to coastal sections of rivers, it is thought to be a nest-building, thrust predator like other Channidae.