Statewide Iowa (RI) – An official with the Iowa DNR is warning the state’s anglers to be on the lookout for a ferocious, toothy type of fish that spawned a horror movie in the early 2000s. It’s called the northern snakehead and it’s native to places like China, Russia, and the Koreas. Kim Bogenschuts, the state’s aquatic invasive species program coordinator, says it’s believed snakeheads reached the US as aquarium fish for collectors, though they’re not friendly with other fish.
If those “pets” were dumped into waterways, that would explain why the fearsome fish are finding their way into the Mississippi River, though none have been confirmed in Iowa’s waters, at least not yet. The northern snakehead is tan with dark brown splotches in a pattern that may resemble a python’s skin and a head that looks, well, snakelike. Bogenschuts says it might be mistaken for a couple of native Iowa fish.
In addition to having bands of sharp teeth and a vicious temperament, the northern snakehead is especially renown for being able to survive on land — for several days at a time.
It’s that unusual behavior that prompted horror filmmakers to focus on a fictionalized version of the feisty fish.
Iowans who think they’ve caught a snakehead should snap a photo of it and send the pic to the DNR. Bogenschuts says the fish should not be released — but killed — and do not leave the body on shore. She notes, snakeheads are supposed to be quite tasty to eat.
