Snakeheads.

Our nation’s newest terror.

 

 

In my personal experience (though not exactly firsthand), I’ve known these fish to bite off fingers.  But I dove further into this subject and conducted some actual research.  The expanded edition of The Encyclopedia of Freshwater Tropical Fishes says of snakeheads: “As the fish grows it becomes a menace to just about everything that can get within its reach, and it is entirely willing and capable of literally biting the hand that feeds it.” 

 

Is this the kind of animal you would want multiplying in your local swimming holes?  I would think not!  (But it would certainly teach fishermen a long-deserved lesson - Fishing hurts!) 

 

This is exactly what’s happening in some of Maryland’s lakes and ponds.  Imported from Asia, it’s not a native species – it’s kept as an aquarium fish.  They do get quite big (well over a metre, says the Encyclopedia), so when they outgrew their tank, an uninformed and irresponsible person released them into the wild.  They quickly reproduced and became what the Maryland Department of Natural Resources calls an “established population”.

 

Native species are in danger.  They are “vicious fish that seem to kill just for the sake of killing” (again from the Encyclopedia).  “…the fact is that the snakehead often kills and just ignores its victim…”  Amphibians and other fish can be wiped out in the lakes that the snakeheads haunt, and I can even foresee a maimed duck or two.

 

The department has no idea how to contain this fish because of its special respiratory system that enable it to be out of water for up to three days.  This means the fish can crawl on land from pond to pond as they please. 

 

So what can be done?

 

According to another source (Simon and Schuster’s Guide to Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Fishes) says snakeheads “tend toward cannibalism”.  This must not be the case since it appears the snakehead population seems to be moving ever closer to epidemic levels.  Comedy Central’s Daily Show suggested releasing piranhas.  I think they’d lose.  Remember: piranhas get nasty when they’re hungry.  Snakeheads are in murder-mode all the time.

 

 

So the Department of Natural Resources has a lot against them.  Snakeheads are hardy, mobile, mean, and breed like rabbits.  This is one of the worst possible species to introduce to native populations.  Unlike some types of fish that sometimes show up in local ponds (piranhas and the like), this particular type of snakehead is adapted to cold weather and probably won’t die out in the winter.

 

They’ve stooped to enlisting the help of citizens.  Naturally, I don’t approve of their “cutting/bleeding” method.  They are currently looking for a mass murder method, including poisoning waters, explosives, and electroshock.  This could kill everything in the pond, not just the snakeheads. 

 

I extend my sympathy to the Department of Natural Resources, but I have even more for the snakeheads.  You’ve gotten yourselves into quite a lot of trouble and everyone wants you dead.  However, I’m personally a snakehead fan.

 

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