Predominantly a riverine fish preferring clear, well-oxygenated, running waters with substrates of sand, gravel, rock or mud, typically flowing through tropical forest.

In the habitat seen in our images sympatric fish species included Barbonymus balleroides, B. collingwoodi, Cyclocheilichthys repasson, C. apogon, Diplocheilichthys pleurotaenia, Garra borneensis, Leptobarbus hosii, and an unidentified Gastromyzon sp.

This species was considered a synonym of Channa melasoma for a number of years prior to its revalidation by Ng. et al. (1996).

Specimens larger than around 120 mm SL can be distinguished by possession of a black spot in the centre of numerous body scales and a barred caudal-fin pattern, characters which are missing in both C. melasoma and the similar-looking C. cyanospilos.