James RickardAnother fish out of water-the Snakehead
March 28th 2008 00:29
A while back I wrote about mudskippers and the general feeling was, "Yeah, they're cute. So what?"
I've come across another fish out of water that's not quite so cute and you'd better know what to expect if you have one in your aquarium. I'm talking about the snakehead.
This Asian native has turned up in Western waterways, much to the dismay of local officials. Nobody is certain how they migrated out of their natural habitat but many believe some species were kept as pets and got too large for their owners to handle.
Whether this is true is of little consequence although it does serve as an example of why you should not release any kind of fish into waters where it is not caught. Snakehead fish are a great example of an invasive species since it goes to the top of the food chain as soon as it finds a new home.
ncwildlife.org
Not only does this fish have no natural enemies outside of its native waters, the snakehead can actually breathe out of water! Unlike the mudskipper which must return to the water, the snakehead can live 3-7 days out of water! If that's not enough, some species even propel themselves over dry land by scooting along on their front fins! And--the final bit of horror--some species of snakeheads can grow to over 3 feet (1 meter) and weigh over 13 pounds! (6 Kg.) On the other hand, some are only inches long at maturity.
Although used as a food source in their native lands, there is no regulated season in the West for these creatures. Those that have been caught, bite on live bait or artificial lures resembling minnows.
Many of the videos depicting snakeheads show the animals you can keep in your aquarium. I'm including this amateur video from You Tube because it illustrates what I've said and shows what the average person can expect to find.
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
I've come across another fish out of water that's not quite so cute and you'd better know what to expect if you have one in your aquarium. I'm talking about the snakehead.
This Asian native has turned up in Western waterways, much to the dismay of local officials. Nobody is certain how they migrated out of their natural habitat but many believe some species were kept as pets and got too large for their owners to handle.
Whether this is true is of little consequence although it does serve as an example of why you should not release any kind of fish into waters where it is not caught. Snakehead fish are a great example of an invasive species since it goes to the top of the food chain as soon as it finds a new home.
Bowfins appear similar to snakeheads. Here is a great chart from the North Carolina website pointing that out. Note the difference in the anal fin.
Not only does this fish have no natural enemies outside of its native waters, the snakehead can actually breathe out of water! Unlike the mudskipper which must return to the water, the snakehead can live 3-7 days out of water! If that's not enough, some species even propel themselves over dry land by scooting along on their front fins! And--the final bit of horror--some species of snakeheads can grow to over 3 feet (1 meter) and weigh over 13 pounds! (6 Kg.) On the other hand, some are only inches long at maturity.
Although used as a food source in their native lands, there is no regulated season in the West for these creatures. Those that have been caught, bite on live bait or artificial lures resembling minnows.
<<<<<>>>>>
Many of the videos depicting snakeheads show the animals you can keep in your aquarium. I'm including this amateur video from You Tube because it illustrates what I've said and shows what the average person can expect to find.
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
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Does this help James? Raven
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Angling Fish
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Unfortunately, snakeheads have turned up in the US but they're usually limited to Florida or southern coastal regions. Like to taste one!