It sounds like a horror movie from the ’80s, but the “Frankenfish” is very real—and it’s swimming in U.S. waters right now.
The northern snakehead fish, a creepy, sharp-toothed predator native to Asia, has officially crashed America’s aquatic party. Missouri is the latest state to sound the alarm after sightings of this invasive beast in local rivers. It’s big—up to 90 centimeters (3 feet) long—slimy, and worst of all? It can breathe air and survive out of water for days.
That’s not a typo. This thing can slither across land if it needs to find a new pond. And if you’re wondering what kind of nightmare fuel that looks like, imagine a cross between a snake and a piranha with gills. Officials are calling it a “Frankenfish” for good reason.
Why Is Frankenfish Such a Big Deal?
Because it doesn’t just crash ecosystems—it wrecks them.
The northern snakehead is one of the most aggressive invasive species in North America. It’s not just competing with native fish for food—it’s dominating them. Females can lay up to 50,000 eggs, and those eggs hatch in under 48 hours. Translation: one fish turns into thousands faster than your neighbor’s backyard koi pond disappears.
And while snakeheads aren’t known for attacking humans, they’ve been documented going after anything that gets too close to their babies—including birds, turtles, and yes, people standing a little too close to the water.
They eat just about everything: bass, frogs, crustaceans, even other snakeheads. Basically, if it swims, jumps, or wiggles, it’s lunch.
What to Do If You Spot One?
This is one of the few times state officials will actually encourage you to kill an animal. If you see a snakehead, the Missouri Department of Conservation wants you to:
- Kill it immediately. Decapitation is the go-to method, but freezing or gutting works too.
- Don’t throw it back in the water, alive or dead.
- Report it to your local fish and game office. It helps track where these fish are spreading.
Some states have even suggested cooking them. Apparently, snakehead meat is white, flaky, and pretty tasty if you can get past the part where it might still be breathing while you’re seasoning it.
A Fish Worth Fearing
This isn’t just some random fish showing up where it doesn’t belong. It’s a full-blown ecological threat wrapped in scales and teeth.
The northern snakehead has already taken hold in parts of Arkansas, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, and if it’s not stopped, native species like trout, bass, and catfish could get wiped out in some areas.
So the next time you’re out on the river and see something slithering up the bank? Don’t panic. But maybe keep your shoes on and your fishing rod ready. And if it’s a Frankenfish… well, now you know what to do.
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