snakeheads

[unseenone00]

I dont know much on florida's snakeheads, and by god a 20 lb. largemouth would be a 1 in a billion MONSTER
It is common to get a northern snakehead 8+ lb up here in the potomac.

yes a DNR officer clearly knows the real danger of the snakeheads' potential to migrate up streams into ponds/lakes/rivers due to being hardy and air breathers- - -but of course as soon as the incident of the invasion began, media and film makers turned them into "something to fear" ... I cant recall the scifi channel movie about them but **** it was hilarious lol.

There is a danger that an invasive species can wipe out a native, but its not for certain. Yes it is obviously better to try to keep it from happening in the first place

However the worry about these northern snakeheads is the fact the ones they are competing against are largemouth... In that sense I rather have the snakehead win, they are both true invasive, its just bass have been here longer. The way I see it though, the snakehead is much more valuable to humans

And so far the snakeheads have just made themselves part of the food chain, they did not do any noticeable impact to the bass or any other species

But the actions of invasive species and other human activity in the past HAS damaged the potomac ecosystem, addition of bass, catfish, and over fishing of sturgeon in the river has nearly wiped them out. Read alittle while ago there are a few left, but no more then a couple dozen or something

Also I am 99.99999999999999999999% sure these northern snakeheads are here to stay now. They literally seem to double in catches in fishing reports every year, and i see them more and more. Which DNR (department of natural resources fyi) have said it is fine to release them if u catch them now, but it is still illegal to keep them alive and then transport (even if taking home)

 

[unseenone00]

also it is very possible that its too early to tell if in the end the damage they do will be there, like i said- they are still growing in number!
But young snakeheads are being eaten by bass/catfish and of course birds of prey (osprey/blue heron/eagles)

And the silver carp dont have value to humans and not much seem to eat them
Great bowfishing targets though!

 

[SubRosa]

The entire family is illegal due to ignorance. A lot of the Fish & Wildlife types I've seen interviewed about Snakeheads talk about the damage that invasives can do to native fisheries while supporting the continuous stocking of "approved" non- natives. I actually heard a VA fisheries guy talk about how Snakeheads would impact Rainbow Trout. A Rainbow Trout has as little business in the waters of VA as a Snakehead!

 

[SubRosa]

If you want to know a fish which has done far more environmental damage than Snakeheads ever will, look at the Largemouth Bass.

 

[unseenone00]

the environmentalists always talk on how much damage it COULD do, but besides that... the fact that northern snakehead has the most potential to overthrow the largemouth bass population would be a HUGE no-no to the companies that make billions selling bass fishing gear to anglers.

 

[JoeeStacks]

I don't know about y'all but if I has a tank big enough, I'd like to keep one


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[allaboutfish]

i wouldnt. it might eat my guinea pigs or my bearded dragon or.... ME!

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[bane125]

I read that in many websites, that they are harmful to the ecosystems...but just wondering now,r they hybrid fish? Like where the hell did these fish come from? Seems to be like they came outta no where...and the game and fisheries regulation are very adamant about killing them and reporting where and when these snakeheads r caught!! Weird!!! My conspiracy antennas r up lol

 

[jpappy789]

Snakeheads are native to Africa and Asia. They've been introduced in a lot of places worldwide since they are a valuable food source to some cultures, and of course they have also been released by ignorant fish keepers...

 

[unseenone00]

the northern snakehead is native to water ways ranging from china to russia I think I read, (not positive). Out of all the snakeheads this one can handle the cold weather here in the potomac during the winter.
It is not certain who or why they were released, but I'd say it is along the lines of some people from china who wanted their favorite dish catchable in a nearby creek :/

(also I just got back from the river where I missed a hookup on a snakehead lol)