Snakehead Fish: Fish survives without water and grows to 3 ft in Missouri, US

A fish that's capable of surviving with no water for days and can develop to be three feet long was discovered in Missouri United States lately, according to biologists with the Missouri state Department of Conservation.

According to the Department of Conservation, the invasive species was captured on May 19 at the Duck Creek Conservation Area in Wayne County. The workers spent several days seeking more northern snakeheads but failed to find any, showing that the particular species had been detected in low quantities.

This is the second time a northern snakehead has been discovered in the state since 2019, as per the authorities.

Why snakehead species are a threat

The northern snakehead, native to Africa and Asia, has become established in the United States, including Missouri. A member of the Asian native Channa species, this fish poses a threat to North American native species by competing for resources and exhibiting aggressive predatory behavior.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service notes that the snakehead feeds on a number of native species, including fish, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. The northern snakehead possesses several advantageous characteristics, such as a broad temperature tolerance, multiple spawning capacities in a year, and the ability to survive in oxygen-depleted waters by breathing air, making it a formidable competitor.

Northern snakeheads are violent predators who survive on native species and fight for resources. They originate from East Asia, where they are delicacies considered to have healing abilities.

MDC Fisheries Management Biologist Dave Knuth said, "This fish possesses extensive temperature patience, can reproduce several times in a single year, & is able to survive in low-oxygenated waters via inhaling air.

The consequences of this particular species upon native fish populations remain unknown, therefore we are planning to keep track of them over time."

“Based on previous reports, snakeheads are a concern because "they'd consume just about anything."

Snakeheads in Missouri: concerns

In 2019, the primary northern snakehead captured in Missouri had been caught in a borrowed ditch along the St. Francis River levees in Dunklin County. The second one, which measured 13 inches long, was located in precisely the same watershed as the initial one, but around 70 river miles north of the first catch.

Though the federal authorities prohibited the transport and interstate movement of snakeheads in 2002, some have continued showing up on a regular basis, raising worries and fears. In 2008, the northern snakehead was identified in eastern Arkansas streams. From then, its range has grown north via the waters of the St. Francis River reservoir, triggering concern among scientists.

"They are a beast," Knuth stated.

Officials have instructed people who catch a snakehead to take pictures of it after which they "kill the fish by chilling or placing it on snow for a long period of time." At that point, MDC suggested that the fish be killed by detaching the head or gutting it, as well as that all sightings be sent to their Southeast Regional Office. Authorities have also asked that the aquatic creature not be freed or thrown on the shoreline, as it could move back to the water or to a new water body.

A second northern snakehead has been confirmed in Missouri by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and fisheries management scientists. The invading fish, which can endure for days with no water, had been caught on May 19 while seining to eat at Duck Creek Conservation Area in Wayne County, according to the MDC.

What should be done with a captured snakehead fish?

If you catch a snakehead fish:

• Do not release the fish or leave it on the shore. It can survive out of water due to its ability to breathe air.
• Be sure to kill the fish by freezing it or placing it on ice for a long period of time.
• Take a photograph of the fish if possible, to aid in species identification.
• Providing information on the size, number, and location of snakehead captures or sightings is crucial to managing this invasive species.

How the fish became 'Frankenfish'

The northern snakehead has earned a reputation as the "perfect invasive species" due to its remarkable adaptations, as highlighted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). This freshwater fish has earned various nicknames such as "frank fish" and "pezzilla" due to its distinct characteristics.

Snakeheads: The Perfect Invasive Species?

With their elongated bodies, sharp-toothed mouths, and scaly heads set near the top, snakeheads easily live up to their name. The Northern Snakehead, in particular, displays scale patterns reminiscent of boas or pythons, adding to its snakelike appearance.

Resembling snakes, these brown fish lurk at the bottom of shallow, slow-moving, weedy water. When their prey ventures too close, they quickly unleash their muscular bodies, striking like torpedoes. This predatory behavior aligns them with other North American ambush fish such as Bowfin and pickerels, sometimes leading to misidentification.

Snakeheads possess distinctive features that raise concern among fisheries managers and the public alike. While many species, such as largemouth bass, spawn once a year, northern snakeheads have the ability to spawn multiple times in a single season. Both males and females actively protect their eggs and young, displaying remarkable parental care.

What sets snakeheads apart is their obligate air-breathing nature, which makes them reliant on swallowing air for survival. This unique adaptation allows them to inhabit stagnant, oxygen-deprived waters that are inhospitable to many other species.

"In mid-August, in water that's barely a foot deep and scorching at 95 degrees, you won't find any other fish worth their salt. But you will find snakeheads there," says John Odenkirk of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

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