Pennsylvania's 'Frankenfish' can live 4 days out of water, and wriggle back if tossed ashore

Pennsylvania’s “Frankenfish” warning centers on northern snakeheads, an invasive species that can survive up to four days out of water when kept moist. Anglers are being told that simply leaving a caught snakehead on shore may not stop it from returning to rivers and connected waterways. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission notes the species has been sighted in the Delaware, Schuylkill and Susquehanna rivers, plus connected creeks, tributaries and ponds, with earlier detections including a Maryland pond in 2002 and Philadelphia’s FDR Park in 2004. Officials link the spread to pathways such as live food markets and people releasing fish bought from pet stores. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service advises that snakeheads are air breathers and can live long out of water, and that they can rapidly expand through interconnected watersheds.