Northern Snakehead- Channa argus Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinoperygii Order: Perciformes Suborder: Channidae Family: Channidae

Snakeheads are a diverse family of fish native to China, Russia, and Korea. The size of snakeheads differ from each of their species. Most snakeheads grow up to two or three feet excluding the Dwarf snakehead which grows to be ten inches. Both the Bullseye snakehead and the giant snakehead can reach a length of one meter and weigh six kilograms.

The Bullseye snakehead is native to Asia and is Commonly know as the giant murrel. It is a carnivorous species that is marketed live and is expensively priced. Its flesh has a high nutritive value and is said to have Wound healing effects and recuperative attributes. It is Able to breath air using a primitive lung. The giant snakehead is the largest member of the chanidae family. It is spread through the waters of south east Asia and some regions of India. It is also known as the red snakehead, Malabar snakehead, and Ikan Toman. Like the Bullseye snakehead, the giant snakehead has a nutritive flesh that has a healing attribute. The species is able to crawl out of the water and breath air using a primitive lung. This attribute helps it survive in stagnant water where oxygen is low. The giant snakehead is also popular in the pet distribution. Note: It is illegal to posses a live snakehead.

Usually snakehead fish have a brown to greenish color. They have several diagonal bands that are dark and form angles or rectangular spots that are often accompanied by rows of spots that appear to be mother of pearl in color. In most cases, the dorsal and anal fins seem to be red. A snakehead fish can grow up to thirty three inches long.

Ever since their abundance in United State’s lakes and ponds and their vicious attribute that puts up a good fight, snakehead fishing has become a very popular pastime as well as a way to rid lakes and ponds of the invasive predator. Note: If snakehead is caught you must not return it to the body of water but put it on ice and report the catch to your local environmental station to help track the snakehead population growth.

On July 2 of 2002 an angler fishing in Crofton, Maryland hooked a veracious air breathing predator known as the northern snakehead in a pond. Biologist worried at the fishes size being twenty six inches long. Their first biggest fear is the danger of reproduction which will lead to a catastrophic invasion. Their second fear is the fishes unique ability to breath air and travel to other bodies of water. The snakehead has turned to a high class and dangerous invasive species.

Snakeheads are sold in the United States both as food in the Asian markets and as pets. All snakeheads found in the United are thought to be former pets that were release when their owners no longer wanted to feed them.

In October, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service added snakeheads to the list of environmental injurious species. This listing essentially stopped the importation and interstate transport of all 28 snakehead species in the U.S., a move that has probably prevented thousands of shipments of snakeheads from entering the country. This move was under consideration before the discovery of the Maryland fish.

Reproducing populations of snakeheads have now been discovered in Maryland, California, and Florida. Individual fish have also been caught in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Hawaii. This move was under consideration before the discovery of the Maryland fish.

Bowfin (Native): The bowfin (or dogfish) has a large mouth equipped with many sharp teeth. Its large head has no scales. The dorsal fin is long, extending more than half the length of the back. The tail is rounded. There is a barbel- like flap associated with each nostril. The back is mottled olive green shading to lighter green on the belly. The dorsal is dark green, while all others are light green. Young fish have a distinctive black spot near the base of the upper portions of the tail fin. The spot is usually margined with yellow or orange. Although it persists in adult fish, it is less prominent in females. Burbot (Native): The burbot (or lawyer, eelpout, or freshwater cod) is an elongate, cylindrical fish with 2 dorsal fins, a long anal fin, and pelvic fins in front of the pectoral fins. Adults are uniformly yellow, or light brown to black, or mottled with dark brown or black on back and sides. Young fish conspicuously speckled with dark vermiculations. The dorsal, caudal, and anal fins are mottled. The burbot frequents cool waters of large rivers, and the lower reaches of their tributaries, and lakes -- particularly in northern Wisconsin. Snakhead (Exotic):The giant (or red) snakehead is an aggressive predator that feeds on fish, frogs, aquatic birds, and, in some cases, small mammals. It grows up to 40 inches and can weigh over 15 pounds. The fish is able to survive in waters with very low dissolved oxygen and if faced with deteriorating environmental conditions, can actually move over land and has been known to survive out of water for periods of 3-4 days. Snakeheads are common fish in the pet-trade industry and favored by Asian fish markets for its delicate flesh

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