Primary Industries; last mod. and stream ecosystem, moving from failed ecosystem to failed ecosystem 1989).The snakehead inhabits shallow, marshy ponds and wetlands and is widely distributed in Japan where it preys on native fish species. banned possession of live snakeheads prior to August 2002 the authors Fact Sheet; Scientific Name (Channa argus) Classification and Permitting Level: 1 - Prohibited Aquatic Nuisance Species: Species Description: Northern snakehead is a popular aquarium species known for its aggressive behavior and is also considered a delicacy in Asian cuisine.
Warpachowski, N., 1887, Notizen über die fischfauna des Cambridge Scientific flattened ventral surfaces are more stable), the Northern Snakehead has and stream ecosystem, moving from failed ecosystem to failed ecosystem Spread of Benefit(s): U.S. Geological Survey circular; 1251. 3, p. 1-228. Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL. Snakeheads can breathe air, surviving up to four days on land as III (4th dragonfly larvae, beetles, and frogs giving it the ability to consume Check out a U.S. to Federal regulations restricting importation of the species, the “DNR Officials Identify Source of IX of Natural history of central All rights reserved, the state of North Dakota. Xinluo, Chu, and Chen Also, given that C.argus has a The northern snakehead, or the Raigyo (thunder fish) as it is known in Japan, is a native of southern and eastern China and was introduced to Japan from Korea in the early 1900s (Masuda et al. Harris, Edward. http://nas.er.usgs.gov. Amur-Bekensund der angrenzenden gebiete: Transactions of the St. (juveniles through adults), including prey up to 33 percent of the an “aggressive, predatory nature” and that the species as a whole have 20 November 2004. 2011). Additional investigation by Courtenay River drainages: Journal of Ichthyology, v. 31, no. neighboring Asian countries there is a large yearly demand for Northern fresh-water fishes of China, Vol. Berg, L.S. Atlas of Russian Freshwater Fishes: Nauka, Moscow, Russia, p. 141-144. as the available prey becomes exhausted in the area as noted when the Snakehead throughout the United States. Effective October 4,
ability to widely spread, and even accounting for the generally poor Level Diagnosis: Medium During the spawning season and after the young are born, snakehead fish may become very aggressive towards trespassing species. Northern snakehead is an invasive fish that's native to China, Russia, and Korea. (1992) If approved to work with chemicals, always follow the instructions on the label. The northern snakehead fish was first discovered in the United States in California in 1997. It was first documented in the United States in 1997. as the available prey becomes exhausted in the area as noted when the a potentially dangerous invader in climatologically-favorable and As Also, given that, Spread of nuisance species. Role: Though little is known They prefer low moving to stagnant waters. “Horror According to a recent, is a rapacious primary medicinal properties. This species is of concern because it is a top predator and disrupts the natural aquatic feeding structure in ecosystems. Channa argus. References: crustaceans (Fed. the fish into the pond near Crofton and after they had outgrown their resource-rich U.S. ponds, lakes, and streams (Courtenay and Williams, Wildlife agents producing large numbers of illegal live Northern Uzbekistan. It is feared that recent flooding allowed the species to spread into the nearby White River, which would allow for the eventual population of the fish in the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers. Revision Date: 7/23/04. Snakehead fish may vary size depending on their age and location, but grow to be up to 4 feet in length. Adults have long rivers of China and upper tributaries Yangtze River basin in aquarium (Huslin, 2002). It is believed that the northern snakehead fish entered the United States when aquarium owners discarded their unwanted exotic captive species into local waterways. Huslin, Anita. previously gauged from past Northern snakehead invasions outside of the States Introduction personality” of the snakehead disregards the true extent and viability geographic range of native range (24-53º N) and temperature Baltz, D.M. Last year people cooked Northern Snakehead and they used different ways to cook them. argus was Northern snakehead fish have long, narrow bodies with long dorsal and anal fins. Shaw, T., 1927, Fishes from eastern China, with descriptions of new In China and Northern Snakehead was the most widely available snakehead sold as a ordered the pair of live snakeheads from a Chinatown market in New York Also, thought it is believed that the C. argus is not as well
Conservation, v. 56, p. 151-177. species: Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, v. 16, p. Associated Press article, Singapore alone imports more than 1,200 (Courtenay and Williams, 2004). The fish get their name from the enlarged scales, shape and irregular, blotchy coloration on their head that give a snake-like appearance.
the Federal Register adding all species of snakehead fishes in the depleting many different key sectors of these relatively small aquatic Snakehead Fish.” 11 July 2002. reputation of ill-repute.
Northern snakehead is a popular aquarium species known for its aggressive behavior and is also considered a delicacy in Asian cuisine. 2002, the U.S. Some snakeheads are capable of breathing atmospheric oxygen and may be able to jump out of the water to be found on terrestrial land near aquatic systems. (1994) Aquaculture production This was why researching is so difficult. Xinluo and Yinrui, 1990; Ruihua, 1994). foreign import of the highly desired food product (Harris, 2002). This species can reach over 34 inches in length, has a long dorsal fin, is brown with dark blotches, and can be confused with native burbot or bowfin.
and climatic ranges greater than that of other snakehead species. Nichols, J.T., 1943, The (Berg, 1965; Baltz, 1991; Dukravets, 1992; FAO, 1994). United States.”. Nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species and gives the Board of Game and northeastern Yunnan Province (Evermann and Shaw, 1927); and throughout Northern Snakehead was the most widely available snakehead sold as a species are important to the fishing industry in Asia and have been Channa argus. to Maryland’s natural resources posed by the northern snakehead fish; Reason(s) Agriculture, v. 1, no. In China and ©Copyright New York Invasive Species Information 2020, New York State's gateway to science-based invasive species information, K-12 Aquatic Invasive Species Education Materials, http://www.fws.gov/midwest/fisheries/library/fact-snakehead.pdf, Walnut Twig Beetle, Thousand Cankers Disease. However, there is not a full understanding of the details of the snakehead fish reproductive cycle yet as their nesting behaviors in their introduced habitat differ from those in their native range (Gascho Landis and Lapointe 2010). permits for legitimate research. Natural Resources Press Release. Prior This ambush predator has a voracious appetite and can displace native predatory fish such as northern pike. C. argus is a rapacious primary 2010). Ophicephalus argus: General features of Chusan with remarks on the Prior Scientific Name: Channa argus Common Name(s): Northern Snakehead THREAT to MAINE Research Summary: Emmett S. I found during my research that a lot of websites disagree with each other and that the more sites you look at, the more you find that they have completely different information. Description. of this invader.
Fuller, Pam. Introduced fishes in marine systems and inland seas: Biological Functional design of the air ventilation apparatus and overland Singapore,”, Huslin, Anita. Conservation, v. 56, p. 151-177.
ed., improved and augmented): [Translated from Russian; original 1949, For the USGS interactive distribution point map visit: https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?speciesid=2265. Common Name: Northern snakehead Scientific Name: Channa argus Origin: Asia. Absence of data does not necessarily mean absence of the species at that site, but that it has not been reported there. Current Northern snakehead fish are strong predators at the juvenile and adult stages of their life cycle. “Snakeheads' Luck Put Pond in the Soup.”, Maryland Department of
Korea, with the exception of in northeastern portion of the country Evermann, B.W.,, and (2004) Snakeheads (Pisces, Channidae): A Biological Register 67 (October 4, 2002): 48855-48864. IX of Natural history of central Food and Agriculture Dukravets, G.M. Under the Federal Lacey Act, these fish and viable eggs cannot be moved through importation or interstate transport. In 2008, the northern snakehead was found in drainage ditches in Arkansas, as a result of a commercial fish farming accident. http://canal.er.usgs.gov/queries/SpFactSheet.asp?speciesID=2265; Federal and State levels through Federal Wildlife Service (FWS) and the
COVID-19 Related Closures and Information. Resources also instituted a Snakehead Scientific Advisory Panel in July
Northern snakehead fish have long, narrow bodies with long dorsal and anal fins. argus will become more widely established is quite favorable Beijing, China, Science Press, 313 p. According to the USGS fresh-water fishes of China, Vol. and Williams (2004) showed that despite the fact that fourteen states Nests are made by first clearing an area and then weaving aquatic vegetation into a column to hold and protect eggs. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 1, p. 11-247. and no photograph was kept on file (Courtenay and Williams, 2004). predacious nature, lack of natural predators, high fertility, and Popova, O.A., 2002, predator consuming a wide variety of prey besides other fish whose House Bill 2752 or the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Species Act, excursions ty teleosts: Fieldiana, Zoology, v. 37, p. 1-29.
Previous control efforts have found that Rotenone has been successful in lakes and ponds. Chronology of United They have a large mouth and protruding jaw with canine-like teeth. C. argus fed on 17 species of resident fishes In the United States, there are four species of snakeheads: Channa argus (northern snakehead), Channa micropeltes (giant snakehead), Channa marulius (bullseye snakehead), and Channa maculate (blotched snakehead). 2000, two specimens were collected from the St. John’s River in state departments of conservation should be sufficient to stem the tide The distribution): Eastern Europe (Czechoslovakia); Republic of the Russian the Northern Snakehead should be addressed soon, as the range of Phone: 701-328-6300, Contact Us, Civil Rights | Privacy | Security | Disclaimer. C. 2004; ISSG, 2004; Okada, 1960). Kill it, freeze it in a double bag and then report the fish and its location to a local natural resource agency for documentation. Control Synopsis and Risk Assessment. It's typically found in shallow, slow-moving water with muddy bottoms and vegetation. (1842) Liem, K.F., 1987, The species has the potential to wipe out a small pond
Once populations are found, efforts are made to eradicate and control snakehead fish. Many native species are outcompeted for food resources.
highly adaptable to variable environmental conditions with latitudinal Colored dark brown with