Snakehead Fish....

[Stan Wright]

They can stay alive out of water.... A friend caught 2 and since it was late, he wraped them in news paper and put them in the refrige. The next day after work, he went to clean them (they are really good eating) and the snakehead were both very much alive.

That's how they were able to be transported by sailing ship to hawaii from Asia... As long as you keep them nice and wet, they will survive.

Because they are so good to eat, they have almost been wiped out in Hawaii. This is the first I've seen in almost a year.

Aloha,

Stan

[Dan:]

dsaavedra, from what I have heard, snakeheads haven't been that much of a problem in the Potomac because they inhabit different areas than other game fish. Apparently they prefer low oxygen areas with stagnant water. Maybe that is why the tank is set up with low oxygenation--because that is what they prefer...

I don't know if those were the actual intentions, but it seems to make sense.

Also, from what I understand they CAN stay alive out of water because they breath air with some mechanism like lungs as opposed or in addition to getting oxygen through their gills like other fish. BUT they still need to be wet and cool to survive outside of water.

I wouldn't worry too much about them. If they are in your waters, chances are that you won't be able to get rid of them without poisoning or draining the lake. The best thing that can be done is to enforce the importation and ownership bans on them so that they aren't introduced into new bodies of water.

As for the threat they pose to a fishery-I think a lot of state wildlife agencies are genuinely fearful of the addition of a new predator so they get worried and then tell the media what they think might happen. It happened here in the Potomac area. The media picked up the story and made everyone think it would be the end of the fishery. They sensationalized it to sell the story. The truth is that years later, the fishery is fine. Most agencies in our area (probably the area most affected by snakeheads) are now admitting that the snakehead has not had a measurable affect on the fishery.

So I would be concerned about them but don't let yourself get caught up in the sensationalized stories without first knowing the facts or what they have done in the US as opposed to what some people are afraid the could do.

[Dan:]

Who gives a crap about the snakehead being in a tank thats too small! It's a trash fish that is killing our gamefish! They don't need to feed that thing a LMB to laugh about. >

Why is it a trash fish? They fight better and are better predators than bass... Why is a bass more valuable than a snakehead?

[coffee]

Who gives a crap about the snakehead being in a tank thats too small! It's a trash fish that is killing our gamefish! They don't need to feed that thing a LMB to laugh about. >

Why is it a trash fish? They fight better and are better predators than bass... Why is a bass more valuable than a snakehead?

Never really understood that either.  What makes a trash fish?

If its good eating, if I ever catch one its going on the dinner plate.

[.dsaavedra.]

dsaavedra, from what I have heard, snakeheads haven't been that much of a problem in the Potomac because they inhabit different areas than other game fish. Apparently they prefer low oxygen areas with stagnant water. Maybe that is why the tank is set up with low oxygenation--because that is what they prefer...

I don't know if those were the actual intentions, but it seems to make sense.

Also, from what I understand they CAN stay alive out of water because they breath air with some mechanism like lungs as opposed or in addition to getting oxygen through their gills like other fish. BUT they still need to be wet and cool to survive outside of water.

I wouldn't worry too much about them. If they are in your waters, chances are that you won't be able to get rid of them without poisoning or draining the lake. The best thing that can be done is to enforce the importation and ownership bans on them so that they aren't introduced into new bodies of water.

As for the threat they pose to a fishery-I think a lot of state wildlife agencies are genuinely fearful of the addition of a new predator so they get worried and then tell the media what they think might happen. It happened here in the Potomac area. The media picked up the story and made everyone think it would be the end of the fishery. They sensationalized it to sell the story. The truth is that years later, the fishery is fine. Most agencies in our area (probably the area most affected by snakeheads) are now admitting that the snakehead has not had a measurable affect on the fishery.

So I would be concerned about them but don't let yourself get caught up in the sensationalized stories without first knowing the facts or what they have done in the US as opposed to what some people are afraid the could do.

my thoughts exactly.

and guys, in my other post, i never said they couldn't breathe air, several fish can breathe air, its not unheard of. i said that the stories of them staying out of water for DAYS are false.

[Sam]

Big Dave,

The Snakeheads are watching you.

They will follow you home and get under your bed.

Better beware.  

[.dsaavedra.]

Big Dave,

The Snakeheads are watching you.

They will follow you home and get under your bed.

Better beware.

but i'm on their side!

[Btech]

Becaue they are NOT A NATIVE FISH. Bass are ... Next well be giving  them driver liscenses and county aid.

Fish Domestic fish - Get rid of the ones that shouldnt be here.

bass are better because they are from here!

[Dan:]

Becaue they are NOT A NATIVE FISH. Bass are ... Next well be giving them driver liscenses and county aid.

Fish Domestic fish - Get rid of the ones that shouldnt be here.

bass are better because they are from here!

ok, well smallmouth bass aren't native to most (if any) of Virginia or Maryland's waters. Should I be killing them if I catch them?

[Btech]

Um....Re-Read your own post

[Btech]

is it an AMERICAN Fish in american waters ... than  no

[Dan:]

is it an AMERICAN Fish in american waters ... than no

So it's alright to introduce a non-native species to a fishery as long as it is from somewhere else in America?

Can't introducing smallmouth do as much damage to an ecosystem as a snakehead can?

[coffee]

is it an AMERICAN Fish in american waters ... than no

So it's alright to introduce a non-native species to a fishery as long as it is from somewhere else in America?

Can't introducing smallmouth do as much damage to an ecosystem as a snakehead can?

Or try introducing Flathead catfish to a new water system within America.  They can wreak havoc.

[Btech]

Ok Sorry did some reserach I may be in the wrong here.

Will keep lookin and let ya know tomorrow but arent those native?

[Dan:]

"native" refers to a particular ecosystem or body of water. Smallmouth bass are "native" to some areas of the United States but they are not "native" to the streams and rivers of Virginia. They were introduced and have become part of the ecosystem. I don't know what type of immediate affect smallmouth had on Virginia's rivers but they have become the main predators in most of the rivers. That is an example of how a non-native fish (even if it is from other places in the United States) can affect a fishery. Some species affect fisheries more than others. It is best not to introduce non-native fish to a new fishery because you never really know what is going to happen. That is why the fish and game departments are so scared of snakeheads. They believe that snakeheads are a species that could negatively affect fisheries in a major way. In reality, they have not (at least in the Potomac). It's just fear of what could happen.

[Btech]

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/videos/player.html?channel=1797

Click on fish invasion

it can walk on land and can last up to 3 days on land

[Dan:]

No, it can move slowly by writhing around, just like any other fish, especially long-skinny-profile fish. And it can breath air but it has to be cool and wet to live outside of water.

That video is an excerpt from a show called "Fishzilla." I've seen it before. It is an ideal example of how the media is inciting fear about the snakehead because of what they think it could do. Notice how they didn't mention anything about what is has (or hasn't) done to the American ecosystems where it has been found. It's a purely speculative video.

[Dan:]

[ptomacbass]

Snakeheads aren't even agressive.  They are extremely hard to get to bite.

[alarcher]

Wow!!! I saw the vid and read the posts and can't believe how little fishermen know about "invasive species." I do this for a career. Smallmouth are native to the states (and are not nearly as problematic as snakeheads on a population of native species), snakeheads are a problem, and Dave is a clueless poster that likes to stir things up to upset others. Our water sheds, nation wide are hit hard from invasive species and native fish suffer from it. All non-native fish that are illegally introduced should be culled (killed) and it's up to sportsmen to help biologists reduce all invasive species to the absolute smallest number as possible and including complete elimination of these species.

Now that I've fumed a bit... fish and enjoy your time on the water because no matter how the table fare is... snakeheads suck compared to crappie and walleye to eat!!!

Oh ya the fish in the vid is a blue snakehead not a northern snakehead which is (the northern) what is found most in the states.

If it's invasive, or not legally introduced it is a trash fish.

[slomoe]

Great video, I haven't seen that before.

[Dan:]

Wow!!! I saw the vid and read the posts and can't believe how little fishermen know about "invasive species." I do this for a career. Smallmouth are native to the states (and are not nearly as problematic as snakeheads on a population of native species), snakeheads are a problem.

No, they aren't. Not in the Potomac at least.

I don't care if smallmouth are native to the US. They are predatory fish that are non-native to my area. Same as the snakehead. Introduction of either could have unintended consequences. Did the smallmouth change the Potomac ecosystem? I dunno, they were introduced a long time ago so it would be hard to compare what the river was like before to what its like now. Have the snakeheads changed the ecosystem? No, not according to the local fishery departments. Invasive species are fully capable of affecting ecosystems but they don't always affect them negatively or measurably.

[alarcher]

Dan, Dan, Dan... once again you avoid the facts and completely disregard what was said! Your were clueless on your rebuttal and I will no longer listen to your future posts. Read what was said and then comeback with some kind of substantial reply and then I'll give you the facts (like you'll hear it anyway). Dude I couldn't have been more clear.

By the way... I wish we all lived on the Potomac!!! where everything is perfect.

[ptomacbass]

Snakeheads are NOT vicious man eating beasts.  They are just fish who rarely feed.  Today I worked a school of Snakeheads for 6 hours and only caught one 5 pound 2 ouncer.  I also worked one school for five days and only caught one on the fifth day.  Think before you write, the media is not always right.  

[Joe T]

One observation and a few comments -

Observation: were all trying to make generalizations about the effects of a non native fish to our ecosystem and it is way way too early to determine the outcome whether its positive or negative (lets continue to listen to the state biologists and assist where we can).

Comments: I live in the Philly area and we have snakeheads in a few ponds that are feeding the Delaware and Schuykill River (right around

where the schuykill feeds the Delaware. Forty years ago some flathead were stocked in a lake that feeds the Schuykill and the infestation of this fish has been massive. A 50# flathead can eat a full grown snakehead as well as anything else it can fit in its maulers (see the infisherman article from last month).  Although I am concerned about the snakehead - between the flathead, stripers and 50" muskies i am not sure snakeheads will effect the system outside of occupying stagnant water areas and providing a larger cylindrical bait to our apex predators. Oh and btw our smallmouth fishing is still fantastic. I guess if we didn't have a massive amount of bait (shad, herring, etc.) then maybe we'd have more issues. I agree the media made this fishes reputation much worse. Btw - lastly there is a great article in the NY Times how peacock bass are destroying the snakehead in a singapore reservoir (what comes around goes around).