By: Andrew Marmo

NORTHERN SNAKEHEADCHANNA ARGUS

NORTHERN SNAKEHEAD

• Freshwater fish family – Channidae

• Is an obilgate air breather

• Allows it to live outside of water for up to several days

• Native to China and possibly Korea and Russia

• Prefer stagnant water with mud substrate & aquatic vegetation or slow muddy streams

• Primarily piscivorous

• Build spawning nests in aquatic vegetation

• Considered highly invasive

INTRODUCTION TO U.S.

• First discovered in a pond in Crofton, Maryland in 2002

• Pond was drained – 2 adults and over 100 small fish found and destroyed

• Considered to be a threat to the Chesapeake Bay watershed

• Introduced through fish markets

• Have also been found in:

• PA, NY, MA, NC, FL, AK, CA

• A new concern –spreading close to the Great Lakes

IMPACT OF NORTHERN SNAKEHEAD

• Competes for food and habitat

• Preys on native species

• Juveniles – pray on zooplankton, insect larvae & crustaceans

• Adults become voracious predators – pray on other fish, crustaceans, frogs, reptiles, even birds and mammals

MANAGEMENT

• Control methods vary with each specific infestation site

• Physical removal is not likely to be successful for large infestations

• For limited infestations physical removal may be possible

REFERENCES

• Pasko, Susan. United States Federal Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force . Northern Snakehead. , 2005. Web. 23 Apr 2011. <http://www.anstaskforce.gov/spoc/snakehead.php>.

• United States Department of Agriculture. Aquatic Species. , 2011. Web. 23 Apr 2011. <http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/aquatics/snakehead.shtml>.