Apparently, we don’t need to fear the local infestation of northern snakehead in our local waters as we once did. So perhaps we shouldn’t be calling it an infestation. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a long-term threat from the invasive species from China. The AP, via the W.Times, reports that the frankenfish, which has the ability to breath out of water, probably isn’t traveling on its own very easily between different bodies of water and is unlikely to be spreading across the region under its own natural breeding.

DNA tests from 16 mostly juvenile snakeheads from the Potomac found all but one were related, meaning a small number of the invasive species produced all those found in the river. The fish that did not match was an adult male that could have parented the brood since the test traces only DNA passed on by a female.

So the discovery of the fish in different parts of the Potomac or ponds in Crofton and Wheaton are not related and were most likely introduced separately.

So if you’re a snakehead owner, be sure to not dump your not-so-friendly fish in local waterways when if outgrows your fish tank. Do you know how to spot a snakehead?

(Photo from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Service)