Spreading Pattern of Snake Head Fish (Channagachua) in the Malang Regency, East Java

The increasing of human population also caused the rise of protein demand comes from animal. One example is snakehead fish (Channagachua) with a local name is kotes. Kotes beside it is consumed in addition to meeting protein needs, can also be useful in wound healing process, because of the albumin content in this fish higher than other fish. The purpose of this research is to map kotes distribution. Mapping process of kotes distribution used descriptive method with observation and sampling technic. In addition to determining kotes the distribution of snakehead fish it also conducted water quality sampling used to determine an area that suitable of snakehead fish aquaculture, using an interpolation method of Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW). Some water quality parameters, measured were dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and water discharge. Mapping analysis shows that most of Malang Regency is potential aquaculture snakehead fish. The distribution of snakehead fish is evenly in the Malang, East Java Province, and spread in the area of the river, rice fields, irrigation channels, spring and sewers, where the most preferred habitat is the water sourced from the springs. Water quality analysis shows that the snakehead fish (Channagachua) can tolerate temperatures in the range of 22-320C, pH 7-8, DO 2.40 to 9.97 ppm and water discharge contained in the calm conditions and heavy with the range between 0.5 to 3364.48 l /sec