ASIAN SNAKEHEAD FISH - AN ECOLOGICAL DISASTER!
Previously, I have written about the Asian Carp, how the fish was an ecological disaster for the United State. There is another fish from Asia, which is also an ecological disaster for the United States, the Asian Snakehead fish.
Snakehead (common term) is of the Channidae family, Channa Genus, with approximately 29 species (including the Northern Snakehead and Giant Snakehead. They eat just about everything they come across; fish (up to half their size), snakes, frogs, small mammals, birds, insects. Anything and everything is on the Snakeheads menu.
Actually the Snakehead is originally from the African Continent, somehow was introduced to the South East Asian region, and from there it found its way to the United States, most like as aquarium fish.
From these aquariums, the Snakehead has now entered into our freshwater tributaries along the east coast and the Snakehead has been even found in the Chicago River that runs into Lake Michigan. This is same river that we are trying to keep the Asian Carp out of, with an electrical curtain on the Illinois River. Snakehead have been prohibited from being imported into the United States since 2003, but most likely scenario the damage has already been done. So we have Asian Carp, attempting to get into the Great Lakes, and Asian Snakeheads trying to enter the Mississippi water basin.
It is reported that the Snakehead can survive in any warm water that surface is not ice capped in the winter months. But these fish can also leave the water a wriggle across land to another body of water.
The Snakehead can grow to over 1 meter in length, and will attack any other fish that is less the 2/3 of the size of the Snakehead. Snakehead is very territorial in their habituate, and will aggressively attack any and all things that cross its path. They have very sharp teeth, and have been known to bite other fish in half with one bite.
Something tells me that we all will soon be wearing Kevlar Waders when we start going wading in our favorite warm water streams, along with Kevlar vest, and helmet with shatterproof plastic face plate.
~Parnelli