Northern Snakehead

Q: Can you eat Northern Snakehead?

Firm, white flesh with a mild flavor and low fat; valued in Asian cuisines, especially in soups and steamed preparations. An invasive species in North America where removal is encouraged.

Q: How big does Northern Snakehead get?

Northern Snakehead can grow up to 150.0 cm long and weigh 8.0 kg.

Q: Where is Northern Snakehead found?

Native to river basins of China, Korea, and far-eastern Russia including the Amur River system. Introduced and now invasive in parts of the eastern United States; tolerates low oxygen and can traverse wet land. Rivers, lakes, and ponds of East Asia (China, Korea, Russia); invasive in North America. Tolerates oxygen-poor water (15-30°C); can breathe air. Inhabits densely vegetated shallows and muddy river ban

Q: Is Northern Snakehead endangered?

The conservation status of Northern Snakehead is Least Concern according to the IUCN Red List.

Q: What family does Northern Snakehead belong to?

Northern Snakehead (Channa argus) belongs to the family Channidae (Snakeheads) in the order Anabantiformes (Labyrinth fishes).

Abstract

Notorious as a destructive invader in North America, the northern snakehead is an aggressive East Asian predator able to breathe air and survive out of water for days. Tawny-brown with cryptic dark blotches, it reaches 1.5 metres in the vegetated shallows and muddy banks of rivers, lakes, and ponds across China, Korea, and far-eastern Russia. It tolerates low-oxygen water and can even wriggle across wet ground between water bodies, traits that make established populations difficult to control. Where introduced in the eastern United States, its removal is actively encouraged. Its firm, mild white flesh is valued in Asian cuisines, especially in soups, and the species is assessed as Least Concern in its native range.