This is all our rivers need
- Thread starter Graham Whatmore
- Start date
The Gooner
New member
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2008
- Messages
- 0
- Reaction score
- 0
I'd hope they would struggle to survive the cold water temperatures.
B
Baz (Angel of the North)
Guest
If it's in The Sun it must be true. Ask Ed.
Steve Spiller
Well-known member
Let's just hope it was one discarded from someones aquarium!
Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)
Senior Member
oh F***!
Look on the bright side - it will probably thin out the mink and cormorants.
Look on the bright side - it will probably thin out the mink and cormorants.
coelacanth
Well-known member
UK waterways will very rarely reach the temperatures required for even the Northern species of Snakehead to spawn. Most of that report is nonsense anyway (no surprise considering the source).
I'll ask some people in fisheries if they know anything about it. It could easily be a tropical species that has been dumped, many of the Piranhas supposedly "caught" are far more likely dumped, found dead and then reported as having been hooked.
I'll ask some people in fisheries if they know anything about it. It could easily be a tropical species that has been dumped, many of the Piranhas supposedly "caught" are far more likely dumped, found dead and then reported as having been hooked.
G
Geoff Dawe
Guest
Couldthis be what Enoch was refering to when he gave his 'Rivers of Blood' speech about immigration all those years ago!
P
Peter Jacobs (ACA, SAA, CA)
Guest
"It is feared the fish had been smuggled in for an aquarium and then illegally released."
If this is a true account then whoever released that bloody thing ought to be shot!
If this is a true account then whoever released that bloody thing ought to be shot!
G
Graham Marsden (ACA)
Guest
I haven't heard enough details about this story yet, but my firstreaction is to think it's just so much sensational, paper-selling crap.
Gary Newman
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2003
- Messages
- 318
- Reaction score
- 1
The captor thought it might be a burbot when he caught it, sent it into us to ID.
Didn't work on the story myself but can't see them becoming a big problem, as has already been said they are very unlikely to breed over here.
A very interesting species, have caught a few small ones in India, they call them murrel over there.
The EA are on the case.
Didn't work on the story myself but can't see them becoming a big problem, as has already been said they are very unlikely to breed over here.
A very interesting species, have caught a few small ones in India, they call them murrel over there.
The EA are on the case.
coelacanth
Well-known member
How big is the specimen? Has it actually been looked at by a taxonomist to define the species? (other than someone able to recognise it as a generic Snakehead)
There are lots of species of Channa, many of which are imported for the aquarium trade but only Channa argus could realistically survive a UK Winter (this species is banned from import, but there may be a few specimens in private hands in the UK, these will be fairly prized by the owner and are unlikely to be dumped). Thereare tropical species which grow very large and are sometimes dumped by the owners, but one of these wouldn't be in any fit state to eat a sprat in the Witham in February.
However they are widely available frozen from Chinese supermarkets. The guy who sent it in didn't call himself Lichard Ree did he? Was there any muffled giggling in the background when the call was taken?
As for the report...
"A SAVAGE fish more terrifying than a piranha"...neither species is exactly terrifying or savage.
"The vicious giant snakehead EATS everything it comes across and has even been reported to KILL people"...no it doesn't and no it hasn't.
"The monster — from south-east Asia "...not if it's the one conceivably capable of surviving year-round over here it's not.
"‘Oh s***’. This is the ultimate invasive species — if it starts breeding here it’s a disaster.”"...that's not an official EA quote then I take it?
There are lots of species of Channa, many of which are imported for the aquarium trade but only Channa argus could realistically survive a UK Winter (this species is banned from import, but there may be a few specimens in private hands in the UK, these will be fairly prized by the owner and are unlikely to be dumped). Thereare tropical species which grow very large and are sometimes dumped by the owners, but one of these wouldn't be in any fit state to eat a sprat in the Witham in February.
However they are widely available frozen from Chinese supermarkets. The guy who sent it in didn't call himself Lichard Ree did he? Was there any muffled giggling in the background when the call was taken?
As for the report...
"A SAVAGE fish more terrifying than a piranha"...neither species is exactly terrifying or savage.
"The vicious giant snakehead EATS everything it comes across and has even been reported to KILL people"...no it doesn't and no it hasn't.
"The monster — from south-east Asia "...not if it's the one conceivably capable of surviving year-round over here it's not.
"‘Oh s***’. This is the ultimate invasive species — if it starts breeding here it’s a disaster.”"...that's not an official EA quote then I take it?
Gary Newman
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2003
- Messages
- 318
- Reaction score
- 1
My collegue who wrote the story sent pics to a few fisheries scientists that he knows, not even sure they knew exactly which species of snakehead it is. To me it looks identical to the ones you get in Thailand, certainly looks different to the ones I've had in India.
As for them being dangerous to humans...the ones i caught you didn't even need a wire trace, 10 lb line and a small Mepps.
If we do end up with them in our waters maybe the Eastern Europenas will switch to eating these rather than native species as they are one of the nicest fish i have eaten, they certainly taste better than carp!
As for them being dangerous to humans...the ones i caught you didn't even need a wire trace, 10 lb line and a small Mepps.
If we do end up with them in our waters maybe the Eastern Europenas will switch to eating these rather than native species as they are one of the nicest fish i have eaten, they certainly taste better than carp!
coelacanth
Well-known member
Went and bought my weekly AM and had a read, it's definitely Channa micropeltes in the picture, at the size where people usually start to panic about the fact thatit is eatingthe smaller fishin their aquarium and still growing. It's showing adult colouration but still has a long way to go.
Although this specieshas been reported in the wild in the US asillegal releases from aquaria which maysurvive temporarily during warm weather, this is not the species which caused all the fuss around Marylandin recent years (one or moreC. micropeltes were caught in the Summer at the same time, which led to confusion, speculation and hyperbolein the press).
If someone can show me a C. micropeltes, active and feeding in water that is below 10 degrees Centigrade I'll skinnydip with it.
Although this specieshas been reported in the wild in the US asillegal releases from aquaria which maysurvive temporarily during warm weather, this is not the species which caused all the fuss around Marylandin recent years (one or moreC. micropeltes were caught in the Summer at the same time, which led to confusion, speculation and hyperbolein the press).
If someone can show me a C. micropeltes, active and feeding in water that is below 10 degrees Centigrade I'll skinnydip with it.
Bryan Baron 2
Well-known member
<blockquote class=quoteheader>Coelacanth wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>
If someone can show me a C. micropeltes, active and feeding in water that is below 10 degrees Centigrade I'll skinnydip with it.</blockquote>
Don't know which would be more frightning /forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif
If someone can show me a C. micropeltes, active and feeding in water that is below 10 degrees Centigrade I'll skinnydip with it.</blockquote>
Don't know which would be more frightning /forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif
coelacanth
Well-known member
<blockquote class=quoteheader>Bryan Baron 2 wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote><blockquote class=quoteheader>Don't know which would be more frightning /forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif</blockquote></blockquote>
Last time I tell you about wheremy lady has beencatching big Dace....../forum/smilies/devil_smiley.gif
Last time I tell you about wheremy lady has beencatching big Dace....../forum/smilies/devil_smiley.gif
Graham Whatmore
Senior Member
Look here you lot, if it was in the Sun then it must be true, facts is facts.
On the other hand..............................
On the other hand..............................
Bryan Baron 2
Well-known member
Never managed to get down there last weekend. Here's hoping for the coming one.
We all know that the Sun and the other red tops are the fountain of all knowledge. Where only the truth can be seen. Probably explains why i am thick as i never buy them.
We all know that the Sun and the other red tops are the fountain of all knowledge. Where only the truth can be seen. Probably explains why i am thick as i never buy them.
coelacanth
Well-known member
<blockquote class=quoteheader>Bryan Baron 2 wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>
Never managed to get down there last weekend. Here's hoping for the coming one.</blockquote>
S'OK, I've ordered a bit of rain for you over the next few days, should give you a bit more depth to play with.<blockquote class=quoteheader>Bryan Baron 2 wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>
We all know that the Sun and the other red tops are the fountain of all knowledge. Where only the truth can be seen. Probably explains why i am thick as i never buy them.</blockquote>
Trouble is, this got a double-pager in the Angler's Mail! It read more like some of Keef Arfa's pub-science ramblings.
Never managed to get down there last weekend. Here's hoping for the coming one.</blockquote>
S'OK, I've ordered a bit of rain for you over the next few days, should give you a bit more depth to play with.<blockquote class=quoteheader>Bryan Baron 2 wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>
We all know that the Sun and the other red tops are the fountain of all knowledge. Where only the truth can be seen. Probably explains why i am thick as i never buy them.</blockquote>
Trouble is, this got a double-pager in the Angler's Mail! It read more like some of Keef Arfa's pub-science ramblings.