Fears held for 'Fishzilla' arriving on Australia's doorstep

[Praxius]

Fears held for 'Fishzilla' arriving on Australia's doorstep | News.com.au

A SAVAGE predator known as "Fishzilla" and a perch capable of climbing trees could soon reach the far north of Queensland.

Snakehead fish, native to tropical Africa and Asia, have an appetite for blood and can grow to a metre long, The Cairns Post said today.

The fish are a declared pest in Queensland (as a precautionary measure to prevent importation) but researchers fear that snakehead, found on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea, might be brought to the Torres Strait, from where they could reach mainland Australia.

Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research director Damien Burrows said there was a danger that snakehead and other pest fish species such as the predatory climbing perch posed a big threat to native Australian wildlife.

"There are a whole bunch of fish that are now on the southern coast of New Guinea, directly adjacent to Saibai Island and Torres Strait, which are even worse than climbing perch," he said.

The stars of a horror movie trilogy, snakehead fish are known to eat water birds, snakes and rodents.

They can live in poor environmental conditions, helped by their ability to breathe air - and in some cases, walk on land.

Climbing perch can travel across land on their pectoral fins and, as their name suggests, may even climb trees.

Burrows said that snakehead and climbing perch could both easily reach Queensland's Cape York peninsula.

:confused2:

Tree Climbing Fish huh? That have a taste for blood?

Sure don't look like something I'd like to have drop from a tree onto my head during a picnic.

 

[Icarus27k]

That's up there on my list of "Creepiest Fish I've ever Heard of".

Not as bad as the anglerfish, but creepy nonetheless.

 

[Praxius]

Indeed... and I'm moving there in a few months.... amongst having the most concentrated amount of poisonous and deadly animals in the world, now they got these things roaming the lands.... and migrating north apparently.

I grew up wandering around the forests, picking up garter snakes and playing with them around the age of 4, and having few cares in the world..... I'll probably die 3 minutes into heading out for a walk lol.

The only other fish I can remember that walked on land was the mudfish, but they're small.... certainly not a metre in length.

 

[Cliffy]

Check this out: World's largest piranha (world record) | faltu.tv

scroll down to video.

 

[EagleSmack]

Indeed... and I'm moving there in a few months.... amongst having the most concentrated amount of poisonous and deadly animals in the world, now they got these things roaming the lands.... and migrating north apparently.

I grew up wandering around the forests where I grew up, picking up garter snakes and playing with them around the age of 4, and having few cares in the world..... I'll probably die 3 minutes into heading out for a walk lol.

The only other fish I can remember that walked on land was the mudfish, but they're small.... certainly not a metre in length.

Hey that is right. You did say a long time ago that you might end up in Australia some day.

When is the big move?

 

[Praxius]

Hey that is right. You did say a long time ago that you might end up in Australia some day.

When is the big move?

Sometime near the end of this year. Waiting for papers and bureaucratic stuff at the moment before I know of any set date.

I'm looking forward to being ganged up and beaten by some teenagers.

I already had it happened here where I live, Might as well see if it's any different there

OOOOooo.... double jab at two countries at once... I'ms on Fie'ya!!!

 

[AnnaG]

Oz sure has its problems with critters. If they don't bring deadly critters (cane toad) to clean up other pests, they grow them right there (a handful of different deadly spiders).

 

[Praxius]

True, but besides having deadly/poisonous creatures, totally opposite climate, driving on the wrong side of the road.... Australia is quite similar to Canada.

We both drink a lot, we got parliamentary democracy, viewed by the rest of the world as kinda weird, actors and musicians exported to the US, similar forms of gun control, universal health care, etc. etc.

Although my wife tells me that they don't celebrate holidays like we do, ie: Halloween, St. Patty's Day, Christmas, etc. They celebrate Christmas, just not like how we do. (We're a little over the top with decorations, lights, etc.)

 

[AnnaG]

Is "fishzilla" coming here? How'd Canuckville get into the topic?

 

[lone wolf]

I'd want to be sure it's not playing 'possum before I filleted it....