Rare snake-like fish that breathes air caught in Missouri for fourth time: 'Aggressive predators'

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Is it a fish? Is it a snake? No, it's a snakehead fish.

For only the fourth time in the state of Missouri, an angler caught a northern snakehead fish that is not native to the U.S.

Fisheries biologists with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) confirmed the catch occurred on May 25 in Wayne County, according to a recent press release.

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The predatory fish has a head that resembles a snake and a body that could grow up to 3 feet in length with a "python-like coloration and pattern."

The invasive snakehead fish, native to Asia, has been recorded in Missouri for the fourth time. The snakehead caught on May 25 in Wayne County was transported to the local U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) office and recovered by an MDC conservation agent. (Katerina Thornton/Missouri Department of Conservation)

"The angler recognized they had something different and researched the fish’s characteristics, and realized it was indeed a snakehead," MDC Fisheries Biologist Dave Knuth said, according to the release. 

"The angler left it on the pavement for several hours thinking it would die, and it never did."

The snakehead was eventually transported to the local U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) office and recovered by an MDC conservation agent four hours after the fish had been left in a bag, the MDC reported in the release.

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"When I picked up the fish, it was still very much alive," Jacob Plunkett, an MDC Wayne County conservation agent, said.

Along with the fish's snake-like appearance, the species can breathe air and slither across the ground to get to a body of water.

It's ability to breathe air allows it to survive in "poorly oxygenated water or out of water for several days" as long as its skin stays moist, the MDC reported.

"Snakeheads are an invasive species native to Asia. They’re aggressive predators, preying on native species, and competing for resources," the MDC's release said.

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The first time a northern snakehead was recorded in Missouri was in 2019, after being caught in a borrow ditch in Dunklin County.

The other two northern snakeheads confirmed by the MDC were captured in 2023.

The MDC shared a series of items to check off if you come in contact with the invasive fish.

Make sure the fish is actually a snakehead and not a native boffin, which is a common mistake.

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Do not release the fish or throw it along the bank. Instead, photograph the fish so the MDC can positively identify the species and take note of the location in which it was caught.

Snakeheads can breathe air and slither along the ground to get to a new body of water after spending hours or even days out of water, as long as their skin remains moist. Wappapello Lake is pictured here, which belongs to the area where the snakehead was captured. (Recreation.gov; Katerina Thornton/Missouri Department of Conservation)

Kill the fish by severing the head from the body, gutting it or placing it in a sealed bag.

Be sure to report any catches or sightings of the northern snakehead fish to the MDC, the agency said.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the MDC for comment.

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