The fish cell line SSN-1 was initiated from whole fry tissue, Channa (Ophicephalus) striatus, commonly named 'striped snakehead'. SSN-1 spontaneously produce and release endogenous snakehead fish Mn2+- dependent C-type retrovirus. The cell line is suitable for fish virus isolation and is susceptible to epizootic ulcerative syndrome rhabdoviruses and piscine nodaviruses. SSN-1 was previously infected with mycoplasma but has been eradicated and tested negative after a minimum of 10 passages.