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The World’s Most Evil Fish Invades Britain

February 20, 2008

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The list of fish that can make men curse with fear has up to this point pretty much been limited to very large sharks.

snakeshead

Add another one to the list: the giant snakehead.

The giant snakehead is a carnivorous fish that feasts on pretty much anything in its path, and has caused all manner of destruction in places where it has been introduced. With the recent discovery of the fish in Britain, officials are scrambling to find a possible solution to this dreaded environmental issue.

Maybe you think it’s overstating the problem a bit. After all it’s just a fish, right? Wrong. This is not your everyday fish. For one thing, the giant snakehead can kill you. Female snakeheads have been known to attack and sometimes actually kill human beings who get too close to juvenile fish.

The giant snakehead will eat absolutely everything in a body of water then crawl over land to the next pond or lake. If there’s an infestation near any other bodies of water, those other areas are almost sure to be infested soon because the snakehead can survive four days out of water while it looks for a new home.

The fish is the pinnacle in dangerous and effective invasive species. Officials in the U.S. had to fight an invasion of the fish with the equivalent of a nuclear bomb. Snipers were placed around invaded bodies of water with shoot on sight orders. Whole lakes were poisoned, wiping out hundreds of other fish in the process, to stop the snakefish from spreading. Even these measures weren’t 100% effective.

So you can imagine the fear when British wildlife officials heard that one of the toothy monsters was hooked by a fisherman in Lincolnshire. According to the Sun newspaper, an environment agency rep said: “The reaction was, ‘Oh s***’.” You know you’re dealing with a serious environmental problem when people from environmental agencies start cursing in newspapers. (It’s probably worth pointing out, however, that the Sun is not exactly known as a hotbed of serious environmental journalism. They’re far more famous for having a daily picture of boobs on their third page.)

Nobody is quite sure how the fish got there. The species is native to South-east Asia, where it is kept in fish ponds or reservoirs as a game fish. They’re apparently quite fun to catch, and they’re also considered quite tasty in China. The species, however, is banned in Britain. It is assumed the fish was a pet that was released in the wild, as that is how the species was introduced in America.

England does have one thing going for it; it’s really cold. The snakehead thrives in warmer water, and the freezing waters in northern England may help take care of the problem before it spirals out of control.

Info from The Sun and others.

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Written by Chris · Filed Under Ecology 

Comments

65 Responses to “The World’s Most Evil Fish Invades Britain”

  1. Avataroredein oluwaseun
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 2:07 am
    1

    this is an awful and dreadful creature. whao my God is great. am scared at its sight

    Reply to this comment.
  2. AvatarRob
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 5:18 pm
    2

    Yeah, right! You say that female snakeheads “actually kill human beings” when they get too close to their young. Can you direct me to a single instance of death by snakehead? Please.

    Reply to this comment.
  3. AvatarTom Croft
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 9:32 pm
    3

    I was killed by a snakehead. SO, there’s 1.

    Reply to this comment.
  4. AvatarFROMOJOE
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:05 pm
    4

    Sweeet, I want to see snakehead fish on a plane ,,That would be a kickass movie

    Reply to this comment.
  5. Avatardeedah
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:06 pm
    5

    Humans see this fish and get scared by what it’s capabilities are…meanwhile another topic HUMANS…yeah, no need to be scared of that fish

    Reply to this comment.
  6. Avatarmike
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:06 pm
    6

    This will NOT be a problem. GB is too fr north for the snakehead to survive, much less thrive like it has in some southern United States areas. The problem for the snakehead in northern climates is twofold.

    1.) colder/freezzing conditions
    2.) Natural predators. Im not talking bass and crappy here. Northern pike. They already fill the snakehead’s environmental niche and will wipe the nasty bastards out before they can ever get out of hand.

    Reply to this comment.
  7. AvatarsnakeyEyes
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:07 pm
    7

    Lol, i feel like in a bad b-movie … it’s happening, flee!

    Reply to this comment.
  8. AvatarDudeman
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:08 pm
    8

    Yeah, i was killed by a snakehead too!!! so thats 2 right there!! and you’ve only begun to find out who else has had a fatal encounter with these savage beasts….

    Reply to this comment.
  9. AvatarDudeman
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:10 pm
    9

    Sweeet, I want to see snakehead fish on a plane ,,That would be a kickass movie

    thats an AWESOME idea for a sequel!!! Perhaps then there might be some realistic aspects to the movie!!

    Reply to this comment.
  10. AvatarFat Boy Slim
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:15 pm
    10

    Kill all the damn fishes

    Reply to this comment.
  11. AvatarReader
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:20 pm
    11

    You dumb c***********g moron! Snakeheads cannot kill humans you drugged-out doofus; given that when you’re high on marijuana a person has a tendency to exaggerate everything, why don’t you do yourself a favour and write your articles when your NOT high. You can always ’smoke-up’ AFTER posting your article.

    Reply to this comment.
  12. Avatarcraig
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:23 pm
    12

    “The giant snakehead is a carnivorous fish…”

    How unique!

    Reply to this comment.
  13. Avatarcatbertz
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:24 pm
    13

    how about “Snakeheads on a Boat”. Dude takes a vacation on a cruise ship to unwind blah blah blah. Hey Hollywood, can I has my checkz now?

    Reply to this comment.
  14. AvatarRobert
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:34 pm
    14

    i didn’t just make up the part about them killing people. Read the source link or check out this article in the new scientist: http://www.newscientist.com/blog/shortsharpscience/2008/02/attack-of-killer-fish.html (removed the offending period at the end. My bad, i’m an intertard) The fish has been reported to have attacked and dragged kids into the water, killing them.

    Reply to this comment.
  15. Avatardustin
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:40 pm
    15

    terrorists + this fish = disaster

    Reply to this comment.
  16. AvatarReason
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:53 pm
    16

    Page not found.

    Reply to this comment.
  17. AvatarAdam
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:57 pm
    17

    That is one mean looking fish! I live in Maryland, USA where at the Potomac River we had a problem with these little buggers…they really are kind of creepy to watch. The whole thinga bout them eating whatever gets in their way is completely accurate…they are like the gill-equipped version of army ants.

    http://www.livingwithanerd.com

    Reply to this comment.
  18. AvatarBrittany
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 10:58 pm
    18

    Is it just me, or does that fish resemble a Gremlin?
    Ugly little thing.

    Reply to this comment.
  19. AvatarBassFisher
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 11:25 pm
    19

    I wonder what they taste like? *grabs fishing pole and starts fishing for snake fish*

    Reply to this comment.
  20. Avatardheekfhjkrfjekrcverjkf
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 11:32 pm
    20

    Page not found because there is a period at the end u dummie, learn how to internet.

    http://www.newscientist.com/blog/shortsharpscience/2008/02/attack-of-killer-fish.html

    Reply to this comment.
  21. AvatarAthon
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 11:36 pm
    21

    http://www.newscientist.com/blog/shortsharpscience/2008/02/attack-of-killer-fish.html is the link.

    And, if you read the story, the writer himself is dubious of the title ‘killer’ fish. Apparently it traces back to a single US zoologist who himself has anecdotal information from Thailand. Sounding a little ‘friend of a friend’ to me.

    That’s not to dismiss it totally. But why wait for confirmation of the facts when you have a good story without them, right?

    Reply to this comment.
  22. Avatarmustaang
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 11:42 pm
    22

    now we have a true weapon. THIS FISH could find bin ladin.

    Reply to this comment.
  23. AvatarChris Knight
    Posted: Feb 21st, 2008 at 11:54 pm
    23

    Fifteen years ago I bought a half dozen snakeheads from a local pet shop. Three days later I had 3. Two days later I had one. They not only eat each other, they eat their young. I call bullshit on the claim that the females are protective of their young.

    -Chris

    Reply to this comment.
  24. AvatarHellfire
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 12:02 am
    24

    Why doesn’t the U.S Wildlife Conservation Groups or Environmental protection agencies just put a bounty on the fish. If we could sell the fish to the Chinese then we would have a way to fund the extermination of the snakeheads in the U.S and pay the bounty hunters. And China wins cause they have more fish. If they are so successful they must be abundant and easy to catch. If i was a hobo living in Maryland I would so make my living bringing in snakeheads to the fish and game.

    Reply to this comment.
  25. AvatarJedi
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 12:55 am
    25

    “Female snakeheads have been known to attack and sometimes actually kill human beings” … I guess thats true of all Females. even the human ones.

    http://www.spymac.com/details/?2146727

    Reply to this comment.
  26. Avataryingfan
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 1:05 am
    26

    Haha.
    I am from Malaysia.
    I do hear stories about some native people lost their arms to this fish.
    But more often, I hear anglers would travel deep into the jungle to fish for really grown up ones.

    Reply to this comment.
  27. Avatarjadkins
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 1:09 am
    27

    This is one of the ugliest fish creatures I have ever saw.

    Reply to this comment.
  28. AvatarPhilT
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 1:09 am
    28

    Fillet it and steam it with some light soya sauce, ginger and some fried garlic bits. Should be good.

    Reply to this comment.
  29. AvatarWm
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 1:29 am
    29

    ‘they’re also considered quite tasty in China’. Anything taste better than plain white rice.

    Reply to this comment.
  30. AvatarThe Mayor
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 1:54 am
    30

    OMG! Are these snakes for real? Why live in water? I don’t think I would try snake fishing, even with my Grampa. Forget that. These dudes are for real?!

    Reply to this comment.
  31. AvatarGeneralEmergency
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 2:21 am
    31

    I was killed by a Snakehead too.

    Twice actually.

    So that makes….ummm…I lost count.

    Reply to this comment.
  32. AvatarJohn
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 3:08 am
    32

    I got down to the line that said “but they are banned in Britain”, and I laughed so hard I soiled myself.

    It is the arrogance of mankind that will be our undoing.

    Now get out of my pond Snakefish, you’re barred!

    Reply to this comment.
  33. pingback pingback:
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 3:49 am
    33
    A Pony-Tailed Apology

    […] World’s Most Evil Fish Invades Britain — Behold the giant snakehead! It attacks humans. […]

    Reply to this comment.
  34. pingback pingback:
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 4:01 am
    34
    The Bestmas » I can has finger?

    […] The world’s most evil fish [supposedly] invades Britain […]

    Reply to this comment.
  35. AvatarMark
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 4:01 am
    35

    Beowulf could defeat these fish… maybe.

    Reply to this comment.
  36. AvatarIndian Stallion
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 4:18 am
    36

    I have heard reports of a man in Thailand who was shot dead by a snakefish.

    Reply to this comment.
  37. AvatarScott
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 4:38 am
    37

    I’d just like to remind everybody that the article is in the SUN! its tabloid business. I do not discount the appearance in Great Britain but the likelihood that someone is going to get killed by one has to got to be ridiculously rare. its hype and if I may quote Public Enemy, “Don’t Believe the Hype”.

    Reply to this comment.
  38. AvatarNOP
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 5:50 am
    38

    It’s quite simple. The Chinese living in the UK and USA want a cheaper way of getting these things so they can afford to eat them “locally.” This is about stomachs — NOT pets being released. I’d
    imagine that resident Chinese originally from the “Mother Land” can purchase this fish using the “hidden” menu. If the US and UK _REALLY_ want to do something about this, they should investigate restaurant owners and jail the idiots for a LONG time. I’d be willing to bet that it’s a slap on the hand for a having one.

    Reply to this comment.
  39. AvatarPENIX
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 6:09 am
    39

    The Snakehead is not only edible, it’s a delicacy in Chinese and Thai recipes.

    Reply to this comment.
  40. AvatarPaul
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 6:11 am
    40

    “The list of fish that can make men curse with fear has up to this point pretty much been limited to very large sharks.”

    Don’t forget candiru!
    http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=797

    Reply to this comment.
  41. AvatarBeaverb
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 6:16 am
    41

    http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/fish/a/snakehead.htm

    Reply to this comment.
  42. AvatarJonathan
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 6:49 am
    42

    I too have been killed….and lived to tell about it!

    Reply to this comment.
  43. AvatarBerkana
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 7:14 am
    43

    On “A cook’s tour,” Anthony Bourdain visited Vietnam, and what they do there is they fillet these fish, slice the fillets into thin broad slices, and use these slices to wrap a spoonful of ground pork and mushrooms, which they then dip into a batter and deep fry. This way of preparing this kind of fish is supposed to be very delicious. Have a bunch of vietnamese chefs come over to Britain, and these fish will be under control nice and quick.

    Reply to this comment.
  44. pingback pingback:
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 7:19 am
    44
    links for 2008-02-22

    […] The World’s Most Evil Fish Invades Britain : Environmental News Blog | Environmental Graffiti […]

    Reply to this comment.
  45. AvatarJim
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 8:03 am
    45

    What about “Snakeheads At The Big Race”. These things can go on land too, so how about a movie where they live in a lake next to a Formula 1 track and start bumping off drivers one by one over the course of a F1 race weekend. It would be like a murder mystery or something because no one knows who is killing the drivers until the very end.

    Reply to this comment.
  46. AvatarRichard
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 9:18 am
    46

    Fifteen years ago I bought a half dozen snakeheads from a local pet shop. Three days later I had 3. Two days later I had one. They not only eat each other, they eat their young. I call bullshit on the claim that the females are protective of their young.
    -Chris

    No, Chris, they crawled out of the bucket and spent four days hunting down Tom Croft, Dudeman, General Emergency and Jonathan. If you’ve still got one that means there’s one other victim. Any takers?

    Reply to this comment.
  47. Avatartyler
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 10:19 am
    47

    get these mother f***ing fish out of mother f***ing Lincolnshire!

    Reply to this comment.
  48. AvatarMick
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 11:48 am
    48

    This whole thing sounds like a non-event to me.

    Reply to this comment.
  49. AvatarSharon
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 2:29 pm
    49

    Sweeet, I want to see snakehead fish on a plane ,,That would be a kickass movie

    THAT is so funny!

    What do you say about something like this? I know, who has a Koi pond of an enemy of yours? Heh. No, that’s just mean.

    Reply to this comment.
  50. pingback pingback:
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 3:14 pm
    50
    cVillain » Blog Archive » I’ve Had It With These Mother F(*#@$N Snakes In This Mother F(*&#$N Lake

    […] cousins across the pond have caught their first snakehead fish. Have any of these been caught near cville? If so, please send us the location. Its always been […]

    Reply to this comment.
  51. AvatarJimmy Song
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 3:18 pm
    51

    Man that is one scary ass looking fish. Im sure they wouldbe fun to catch though, considering when u get it on land it will start to attack u!

    Reply to this comment.
  52. AvatarJimmy
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
    52

    Oops put my wrong signature. But anyways, I do find it interesting that these can last for 4 freaking days on land! They really are like water snakes instead of fish!

    http://www.wiinjamod.com

    Reply to this comment.
  53. Avatarpaulec
    Posted: Feb 22nd, 2008 at 6:30 pm
    53

    This will NOT be a problem. GB is too fr north for the snakehead to survive, much less thrive like it has in some southern United States areas. The problem for the snakehead in northern climates is twofold.
    1.) colder/freezzing conditions
    2.) Natural predators. Im not talking bass and crappy here. Northern pike. They already fill the snakehead’s environmental niche and will wipe the nasty bastards out before they can ever get out of hand.

    Hope that is none too complacent a view. Remember the River Trent just west of Lincoln has high year round temperatures due to a cluster of generating stations. There are many ways to get from there to Lincoln city, which is effectively where this creature was hooked. Also during the flooding this summer, water from the Trent was traveling underground to Linclnshire. ‘Fish’ probably came in ballast into Boston then up the warm Witham; but the North Sea was notable for its pollution (and heating?) on that new map of polluted Oceans you saw published the other day.

    Reply to this comment.
  54. pingback pingback:
    Posted: Feb 23rd, 2008 at 12:31 am
    54
    links for 2008-02-22 « InfornographY

    […] The World’s Most Evil Fish Invades Britain : Environmental News Blog | Environmental Graffiti Oh my that’s looks scarier than my catfish. hahah snakefish on a plane! (tags: fish dangerous ecology) […]

    Reply to this comment.
  55. Avatartelerhythmman
    Posted: Feb 24th, 2008 at 12:46 am
    55

    After I died from AIDS I was killed by a snakehead three times

    Reply to this comment.
  56. Avatarbilly
    Posted: Feb 24th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
    56

    these fish are nothing like how you are making out. they will only eat other fish as long as they are smaller than 2/3 of its body size. its typical of the media to find the worst photo possible to portrait this wonderful fish. i had one as a pet and it was lovely it would let me hold it out of water and feed it by hand. im not saying there wouldnt be a problem if there was an invasion of this fish, but the same could be said about any foreign creature i.e if there was a bull frog invasion then alot of our frogs would probably die and the media would get a photo of the ugliest, meanest and biggest bull frog possible to scare the public and sell a story.

    Reply to this comment.
  57. Avatareric y
    Posted: Feb 28th, 2008 at 2:58 am
    57

    sammie was destroyed by one of these monsters as he was attempting to make progress on the toilet, it must have come up from the break in the sewer pipe down by the channel. jay whitlow has reported that it is now only found in the european area as whitlow and eric y destroyed all 23,492 of them in kansas.

    Reply to this comment.
  58. AvatarTraveler
    Posted: Mar 26th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
    58

    I was searching for \’Info Thailand Tour Travel\’ at google and got this your post (\’orld’s Most Evil Fish Invades Britain : Environmental News Blog | Environmental Graffiti\’) in search results. Not very relevant result, but still interesting to read :)

    Reply to this comment.
  59. AvatarMarcus
    Posted: Apr 22nd, 2008 at 7:51 am
    59

    Guys,

    Giant Snakeheads are not monsters or something you need to be afraid of. I have been catching Giant Snakeheads for more than 8 years already.(I live in Malaysia btw). They do attack only if you were to disturb their young. The female will guard its young within a 3 foot radius below while the male will usually guard slightly further out from the ball of fry.(10 feet away).I have tons of pictures of Giant Snakeheads so if you guys are interested to see some, please state down your email addresses and I’ll send some over.

    Reply to this comment.
  60. AvatarVic Peckett
    Posted: May 1st, 2008 at 8:56 am
    60

    Check out Nat Geo Wild’s one off special on ‘Fishzilla: Snakehead Invasion’ on Sunday 4th May at 9pm.

    Reply to this comment.
  61. AvatarJohn Cadger
    Posted: Jun 6th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
    61

    I think you people are getting distracted here the snakehead is not the big problem, Its the EVIL FISH if you are interested in signing up to the alliance against the Evil Fish go onto EvilFish.net

    Reply to this comment.
  62. AvatarFishing Thailand
    Posted: Jun 15th, 2008 at 2:41 am
    62

    What a load of baloney! For one the Giant Snakehead IS just a fish, although perhaps it’s behaviour is more like that of an eel. For two Kill a person! Yawn….who makes this stuff up!!

    If you really want to learn about the Giant Snakehead come fishing in Thailand and find out for yourselves, rather than read a load of bull on the net.

    Reply to this comment.
  63. AvatarJohn Cadger
    Posted: Jun 17th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
    63

    Fishing Tailand F*** U th EVIL FISH IS COMING!

    Reply to this comment.
  64. AvatarFRASER!!!
    Posted: Jun 24th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
    64

    john cadger is right the evil fish will take your spleen!!!
    fishing thaliand is a smelly pot weasel!!!
    goodbye………..

    Reply to this comment.
  65. AvatarJohn Cadger
    Posted: Jun 24th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
    65

    FETISH!!!!

    Reply to this comment.
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