Channa pulchra

{{Short description|Species of fish}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Channa pulchra 2404.jpg

| status = DD

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Britz, R. |date=2010 |title=Channa pulchra |volume=2010 |page=e.T168502A6503987 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T168502A6503987.en |access-date=20 November 2021}}

| taxon = Channa pulchra

| authority = Britz, 2007

}}

Channa pulchra is a species of snakehead fish in the family Channidae which is native to Myanmar. It was first described in 2007 by Ralf Britz from a specimen collected from the Kyeintali Chaung (stream) basin in Rakhine Yoma, western Myanmar.Britz, Ralf (2007). Channa ornatipinnis and C. pulchra, two new species of dwarf snakeheads from Myanmar (Teleostei: Channidae). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 18(4): 335-344. The fish is found in streams that are fast flowing, clear, highly oxygenated and relatively cold (subtropical). It is of little food value but getting popularity as an aquarium fish recently.{{Fishbase|Channa|pulchra|month=August|year=2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.aquachange.fr/poisson_fiche_aquarium.php?id=366|title=Channa pulchra|date=2016-03-15|work=Aquachange|access-date=2018-06-08|language=fr-FR}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/features/articles/channa-pulchra|title=Channa pulchra|work=Practical Fishkeeping Magazine|access-date=2018-06-08|language=en-US}}

Although it has been referred to as a dwarf snakehead, it can reach a total length of up to {{cvt|30|cm}}. C. pulchra is closely related to C. ornatipinnis and C. stiktos.Lalramliana, J. D. M. Knight, D. V. Lalhlimpuia and M. Singh (2018). Integrative taxonomy reveals a new species of snakehead fish, Channa stiktos (Teleostei: Channidae), from Mizoram, North Eastern India. Vertebrate Zoology 68 (2): 165-175.