not quite yet, but i can't imagine it will be too long until we start getting em. we do have a ton of bowfin though
Snakehead Fishing in New Jersey
- Thread starter joe jaskot
- Start date
not quite yet, but i can't imagine it will be too long until we start getting em. we do have a ton of bowfin though
Sure few fish hobbyist has released some snakeheads in the isolated lakes but in these cases, it's usually a single specimen/or tropical species that is unable to tolerate cold temperatures It take two fish to tango and popping out some babies...not a single specimen from pet releases. Also....northern snakehead are not found in aquarium trade but they are popular food fish in asian markets.
Yes lot of fish hobbyists released fish in US waters but majority of fish from pet releases were pacu, oscars, goldfish, koi, random cichlids, large catfish and piranhas while snakeheads made up very small precentage of unwanted pet releases.
Now three breeding populations of snakeheads in US do not come from the results of unwanted pet releases.
Now you understand why I'm very sarcastic in this thread. Even with my sarcasm, some people will still say, "Oh my god, run for your lives, a snakehead!!!!" Or, "I'm scared of chupacabras!!!!" It's pointless to educate people about snakeheads or that the tooth fairy isn't real, and yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
How do you want to educate the people? What can you say about snakeheads? They are top of the food chain predators with voracious appetites. Do you think they belong in our waterways?
Research is your friend and it is time for you go to research.
Yes snakehead is apex predator with voracious appetites and so are non-native largemouth bass & muskellunge. Tell me why a snakehead do not belong to Potomac River while walleye/trout/muskellunge/catfish/largemouth/smallmouth bass which they are not native to Potomac River has a right to be in Potomac River?
He just hit the nail on the head. Blue catfish for example aren't native to that river and can reach over 100 pounds. They can eat more than a snakehead. This is true of all introduced species over there. Snakeheads are no different.
So I guess it's all right to just screw up every ecosystem by adding non native fish. Just like it is fine to create all sorts of hybrids for the aquarium trade. Where does it end?
Just because a fish can fit in our ecosystem from another ecosystem, doesnt mean its ok. To me, a snakehead is NOT the top of the foodchain in 99% of the rivers, lakes, that they are now in. But I would have to say, in a small pond, maybe as such the one in maryland, I could see them being the top in a pond like that. But in a river where fish are bigger than any snakehead known to man, it is not top nor will it ever see the top of the foodchain. Now it may be a top level predator but it doesnt hold that title all to its own, there are many top level predators that out-rank a snakehead. All so called top level fish have to eat. Just because you see a snakehead on youtube devour 100 goldfish in a matter of minutes, doest mean it holds true in the ecosystem.
Again, think for a second how big this problem really is. Think how big the world is, think how many miles of rivers and creeks there are just in the US, think of how many acres of lakes there are just in the US, no matter what our efforts are to make every human on the planet aware of this situation, they snakeheads are here to stay. They will eventually evolve into our ecosystem, right now I would say they are still trying to fit in, Im sure it takes more than 20 years for all that to take place. They are breeding in our lakes, rivers and probably creeks. They will eventually be in almost every waterway in the US. They have even been found in Taylorsville lake in KY.
No matter who is right or wrong, get over it, they are here to stay, end of STORY.
PS: the hybrid argument is another thing hear to stay, you pack many fish from all over the world into one large tank, its going to happen. Then you got the folks that want the next "flowerhorn" that cost $10,000 because it makes you a status symbol in China just as driving a Vette gives you in the US or gives you "good luck", thats hear to stay as well.
Again, think for a second how big this problem really is. Think how big the world is, think how many miles of rivers and creeks there are just in the US, think of how many acres of lakes there are just in the US, no matter what our efforts are to make every human on the planet aware of this situation, they snakeheads are here to stay. They will eventually evolve into our ecosystem, right now I would say they are still trying to fit in, Im sure it takes more than 20 years for all that to take place. They are breeding in our lakes, rivers and probably creeks. They will eventually be in almost every waterway in the US. They have even been found in Taylorsville lake in KY.
No matter who is right or wrong, get over it, they are here to stay, end of STORY.
PS: the hybrid argument is another thing hear to stay, you pack many fish from all over the world into one large tank, its going to happen. Then you got the folks that want the next "flowerhorn" that cost $10,000 because it makes you a status symbol in China just as driving a Vette gives you in the US or gives you "good luck", thats hear to stay as well.