Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Fresh Water Bully...?


I know I'm behind the times when I find a fish I haven't heard of before!

Sounds to me like this guy has a head start on all the locals, and if he can do everything they say then I can certainly see how the native fish could be forced out of their natural surroundings.

Funny, but this fish really isn't a bad looking fish, and doesn't look like a threat. I guess it just shows that looks can be deceiving!



Invasive Snakehead Fish Found Near Annapolis

Updated: Tuesday, 19 Jul 2011, 1:13 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 19 Jul 2011, 6:48 AM EDT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Scientists have discovered a northern snakehead -- a toothy invasive fish that can live out of water -- in Anne Arundel County.

Biologists from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center were taking annual fish samples last week when they found the 23-inch egg-bearing snakehead in the Rhode River. The center reported the catch to the Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The fish, which are native to Asia, first received local attention in 2002 when they were found in a Crofton pond. The snakehead is a top-level predator and can crowd out native fish. It can breathe air, survive on land and adapt and thrive in foreign environments.

Scientists are exploring whether low salinity levels in the Chesapeake Bay allowed the snakehead to travel to Rhode River.

Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/invasive-snakehead-fish-found-near-annapolis-071911#ixzz1SbtBX4GD

Ya know, you could almost call this guy "Frankenfish!" Must be hard to stop, but thew main question I keep asking myself is...how do they taste?

Let's get some fresh coffee and sit on the patio. Got a good slow rain for a while yesterday and boy, was it nice!

16 comments:

Catman said...

Many things are out of place these days. Animals, plants, fish.

Makes you wonder just how serious the changes happening around the world really are....

Ken said...

...just like the asian carp in the mississippi river system,i can't help but think somewhere,someone,did this on purpose...

HermitJim said...

Hey Catman...
Man, isn't that the truth! Just makes you wonder where we are headed!

Thanks for coming by today, buddy!


Hey Ken...
Seems a bit strange that both these fishes are Asian, doesn't it?

Food for thought, my friend!

Many thanks for coming by today!

Gorges Smythe said...

We wouldn't have these problems if people would just behave responsibly.

Sixbears said...

They eat them in Asia. Can't be that bad tasting. Seems they can do everything but fly.

chinasyndrome said...

Hey Jim,now this one I have heard of!It seems the owner of an Asian market released a couple thinking it would be cool to have a local source.Well as with a lot of non native species they are taking over.They have no predators in their new home so they are going hog wild.

China
III

Ben in Texas said...

You should know by now that the first fish story/lair ain't got a chance.. Got ya beat with this story. Fish monster

Dizzy-Dick said...

It does make you wonder about the mentality of some people, even the people in charge. Remember what happened to Lake Conroe back a few years ago when the powers to be released grass carp in to it?

Mechanic in Illinois said...

Send them to Washington D.C. and train them to eat politicians. They can come right out of the river and chase them down the street. Thanks for the info and have a great Wednesday.

Unknown said...

Makes me think of the Walking Catfish that National Geographic did an artical on serveral years ago.They had a picture of it on thier cover.I sure you can google an image.Ain't google something?

Unknown said...

Ben anly problem with your story is your source.When you say (FOX News reported) is like sayiny (Once upon a Time)

JoJo said...

Wow that is a big fish. But the teeth, well thats kind of scary.
Glad you had nice steady, slow rain yesterday. That is the best way after not having had rain in a long time lets it soak in slowly instead of just running off and causing flooding.
Coffee here please.

Kellie said...

People do really stupid things; bring plants over here from other areas "cause they're pretty", release boa constrictors into the swamps "cause they'll survive there and I can't take care of them any more". We got most of our invasive avian (bird) species because some people thought that all birds should live everywhere and released hundreds on non-native species in Central Park, and now they are all over North America. Many of the Eastern Bluebirds (species I work with) are being killed by the non-native sparrows.

People just do not think about the consequences of their "good" deeds sometimes.

Anonymous said...

Yes snakefish can eat all other fish in small lakes when they get there. I know that they are popular food fish in asia and unfortunately also popular to have in aquariums.

But since they can eat fish half their own size people tend to get tired of them and throw them out in a nearby lake or river. To cold climate for them here in Sweden though so we don´t have that problem anyway.

But we do have north american turtles here now. They manage to survive but it´s to cold for eventual eggs to hatch.

Have a great day!
Christer.

Mayberry said...

Invasive species are bad juju. Folks are starting to catch tilapia now and then around here, and lion fish are causing havoc on reefs in the Gulf and Caribbean. More of that "global economy" working for (against) us...

AJK said...

Sounds like a crazy fish! Breaths air and can withstand being out of water, sounds reptilian! I do wonder if someone from Asia brought it over to stock their own pond for their own food and the fish escaped captivity. Hope you a have a great day!