Frankenfish a.k.a. snakefish invading North American waters

[motion]

Just finished reading the Toronto Sun article in today's paper by Mike Strobel. Seems this snakefish is a real predator and threat to our fresh water lakes. Apparently this "monster" can live out of water for 4 days, can survive a good clubbing and time in the freezer. WOW! What is this thing?

 

You can read it here

 

Snakefish

Edited June 2, 2010 by motion

[BillsTheBassMan]

Yeah, you should check out the Southern Pike vs Northern Pike thread.

 

I guess this "snakefish" has a primitive lung so it can live out of water and it is a close relative of the Bowfin. The thread also states that it has yet to really have a negative impact on the American fishery (I believe it was specifically the Potomac).

 

We shouldn't get all up in arms about this threat, but being aware of it and helping to prevent its impact in anyway possible is a good place to start.

[aplumma]

Boy did they exaggerate the truth on that fish. It would be best not to read the article and go here for a more factual accounting of the fish. invasive species map on snakeheads. The fish do have a primitive lung and can live in poor water quality, immature young can slither in thin muddy land/water. I haven't tried freezing them or found any evidence that they cut fish in half any more than a pike. They prefer soft fleshed fish such as suckers,kili minnows, frogs and crawfish. They have found lots of shad and some bass/bluegill in the stomachs. While I hope they never reach Canada if they become established they will be just a big scare until they fit into their nitch and then be forgotten. Remember being scared of something that hasn't occurred and isn't proven is a waste of time.

 

 

Art

[Whitespinnerbait]

Helloooooooooo..........

 

 

Can you all say PROPAGANDA

[waterwolf]

Helloooooooooo..........

 

 

Can you all say PROPAGANDA

[waterwolf]

had one a few years back as a pet . a 2 footer. damn thing got aggrevated when i walked by the tank,started thrashing insanely. BANG!!! water started pouring from the side of the tank. 65 gallons were emptying out into my living room.broke the tank with its head.got a fishing net,, bit thru it. grabbed it by hand , wrestled it to the tub . put enough water in to keep it alive 'til i clean ed up the mess .got my biggest cooler ,fired it in and took it to BIG AL'S AQUARIUM gave it to them. they offered me coupons for trade ,,, KEEP IT!!

mine was an african snakehead , my buddy had an indian. his jumped the tank thru the nite . it was hard on the top side when we found it,, so dry. put it back in the tank ,, lived for 6 days before a bacteria developed and killed it. these fish are banned in ontario now for good reason . i read up on the species before i bought it but they don't prepare you for what thse things are capable of,unreal.

[BigGuppy]

My son caught one in July last year off the dock in about 3 feet of water on the north end of Lake Couchiching. It was pretty gross looking I knew that we shouldn't put it back in but had no desire to eat it. There was a family renting the cottage next to ours and they took it and bbq'd it. They said it tasted great. I don't know about propaganda or not but they are definitely are an invasive species.

[dsn]

Heres proof the snakehead can cut a fish in half !! I saw this vid few months back. What a waste of a BASS !!

 

 

 

 

dsn

[canadadude]

had one a few years back as a pet . a 2 footer. damn thing got aggrevated when i walked by the tank,started thrashing insanely. BANG!!! water started pouring from the side of the tank. 65 gallons were emptying out into my living room.broke the tank with its head.got a fishing net,, bit thru it. grabbed it by hand , wrestled it to the tub . put enough water in to keep it alive 'til i clean ed up the mess .got my biggest cooler ,fired it in and took it to BIG AL'S AQUARIUM gave it to them. they offered me coupons for trade ,,, KEEP IT!!

mine was an african snakehead , my buddy had an indian. his jumped the tank thru the nite . it was hard on the top side when we found it,, so dry. put it back in the tank ,, lived for 6 days before a bacteria developed and killed it. these fish are banned in ontario now for good reason . i read up on the species before i bought it but they don't prepare you for what thse things are capable of,unreal.

I know what your saying, I had a 28" snakehead and by far the most aggresive fish I ever owned.Pirranahs, ciclids and such are babies compared to these fish, snakeheads are just plane insane, I kept mine in 120 gal tank and when he got pissed he smash the side of that tank, the only way to calm him down was dump in 20 feeder goldfish hahahhaahah

[highdrifter]

My son caught one in July last year off the dock in about 3 feet of water on the north end of Lake Couchiching. It was pretty gross looking I knew that we shouldn't put it back in but had no desire to eat it. There was a family renting the cottage next to ours and they took it and bbq'd it. They said it tasted great. I don't know about propaganda or not but they are definitely are an invasive species.

 

I'm thinking your boy caught a bowfin..