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Post by fishinmachine on May 8, 2010 5:25:13 GMT -5
my neighbor came over last nite with this fish he caught in a pond near fair haven,vermont. It looks like a dreaded snakehead to me.actually ,it's a bowfin
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Post by salmoneye on May 8, 2010 5:48:46 GMT -5
;D
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Post by buckshot (Ben) on May 8, 2010 5:54:02 GMT -5
Looks like a bowfin to me, but Im not a speacialist by any means.
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Post by fishinmachine on May 8, 2010 5:55:38 GMT -5
you are right,buckshot,it is a bowfin
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Post by Raz on May 8, 2010 6:21:36 GMT -5
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Post by jeff235 on May 8, 2010 8:32:57 GMT -5
There was a show on snakeheads just the other night about some guy fishing for "freshwater monsters". They are quite the nasty fish and very aggresive, when caught and held out of water they snap their jaws open and closed trying to bite. They are already here in the North East and they do look somewhat like the Bowfin except they are white with black markings and big teeth.
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Post by vtfishbio on May 8, 2010 8:37:38 GMT -5
The fish above from the Fair Haven pond is a bowfin, not a snakehead. This is a common mix-up, as they are similar in general form. There are a number of key differences though. See the ID card below. The easiest difference to note for an angler is the length of the anal fin - it is LONG on a snakehead, and short on a bowfin. As for the Quebec discovery, here's my quick translation of the Quebec Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune (MRNF) press release from April 29, 2010. The Saint-Charles River is a tributary to the St. Lawrence River at Quebec City. Shawn ------------------------------------- Gov't Photos: www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/faune/presse/tete-serpent/index.jspHarmful Invasive Aquatic Species - A Giant Snakehead is discovered in the Saint-Charles RiverQUEBEC CITY, April 29 – An Indonesian snakehead ( Channa micropeltes, the Giant Snakehead) measuring over 50 cm in length has recently been found dead near the mouth of the Saint-Charles River in Quebec City. This voracious predator, non-indigenous to North America, is part of a family of fish that have the potential to become invasive in our region. In all likelihood, the Giant Snakehead found in the Saint-Charles River was released by an aquarium hobbyist. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife reminds citizens wishing to dispose of their aquarium or ornamental pond fish that releasing these species in a waterbody can be dangerous to native wildlife and aquatic ecosystems. In the United States, the snakehead has caused irreversible damage to ecosystems where it was introduced. Contrary to popular belief, some of these fish can survive in the wild, reproduce and eventually become established in waters where introduced. By feeding on native species or competing with them for food, they can disrupt the biodiversity of a waterbody. Moreover, diseases and parasites may be introduced by these exotic species and seriously affect fish populations in Quebec. Once an exotic species is established, it becomes almost impossible to eradicate, and controlling its spread can be very expensive. For example, the introduction of Asian carp in Illinois has required the development of control strategies costing nearly 78.5 million to implement. To avoid impacts related to invasive aquatic species, it is imperative not to discard fish or exotic plants in the environment. Instead, donate them to a petshop or a zoo. As a last resort, it is better to euthanize the unwanted fish than to take the risk of having them become established and spread through our waters. To learn more about how dispose of unwanted plants and aquatic animals as well as the impacts they can cause in ecosystems, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife invites you to visit the following website: www.habitattitude.ca/fr/habits
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Post by Raz on May 8, 2010 8:52:11 GMT -5
Thanks for the translation Shawn. In hindsight, I should have taken the initiative to do it. Thanks again.
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Post by vtfishbio on May 8, 2010 9:38:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the translation Shawn. In hindsight, I should have taken the initiative to do it. Thanks again. Hey Razzle - you speak french well enough to translate that? That's great! I wish more people in Vermont spoke french ...
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Post by Raz on May 8, 2010 10:04:26 GMT -5
Thanks for the translation Shawn. In hindsight, I should have taken the initiative to do it. Thanks again. Hey Razzle - you speak french well enough to translate that? That's great! I wish more people in Vermont spoke french ... NO Way!!! I meant I could have used google translator, copy and paste!
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Post by vtfishbio on May 8, 2010 10:25:08 GMT -5
Hey Razzle - you speak french well enough to translate that? That's great! I wish more people in Vermont spoke french ... NO Way!!! I meant I could have used google translator, copy and paste! LOL. Ok. Those online translators will give you the basic jist of whatever it is you're translating, but they really garble things up sometimes too. I speak french, so I just translated it myself. Easier that way.
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Post by Matt on May 8, 2010 12:30:57 GMT -5
Yeah, I saw that show on the Snakeheads, nasty fish. Apparently they're good to eat, and have devastating affects on the fish habitats. Hopefully they won't multiply here like down in Florida and other southern states, that would be a disaster!
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