Naturally, this species occurs in China and into southeast Russia. However, people have introduced this species outside of its native range, where it has become an invasive species. You can find invasive populations in Japan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, and some surrounding areas. Additionally, people have introduced this fish into various regions of the United States. Diet of the Snakehead The Channidae are well represented in the fossil record and known from numerous specimens. They likely originated in the south Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent (modern-day northern India and eastern Pakistan) at least 50 million years ago (Mya), during the Early Eocene epoch. Two of the earliest known species, Eochanna chorlakkiensis and Anchichanna kuldanensis , have both been found in the Middle Eocene of Pakistan. [3] [4] By 17 Mya, during the Early Miocene, Channidae had spread into western and central Eurasia, and by 8 Mya, during the late Tortonian, they existed throughout Africa and East Asia. [5] As Channidae are adapted to climates of high precipitation with mean temperatures of 20°C (68°F), their migrations into Europe and Asia correspond to the development of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which increased air humidity, and the intensification of the East Asian monsoon. Both weather patterns emerged due to greater vertical growth of the Alps, Pyrenees, and Himalayas, which affected Eurasian climatic patterns. [5] Ecological concerns [ edit ] Snakehead murrel, Channa striata, Java, Indonesia In this thrilling panorama of real-life events, the bestselling author of Empire of Pain investigates a secret world run by a surprising criminal: a charismatic middle-aged grandmother, who from a tiny noodle shop in New York's Chinatown, managed a multimillion-dollar business smuggling people. One notable snakehead member was Cheng Chui Ping or "Sister Ping". [4] [5] Another is Guo Liang Chi, known mainly by his street name of Ah Kay, who was the mastermind of the Golden Venture cargo ship tragedy in 1993 that was financed by Sister Ping. USGS Circular 1251: Snakeheads (Pisces, Chinnidae) - A Biological Synopsis and Risk Assessment. U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. 2004-04-01. Retrieved 2021-07-05.

Consider first the size of species and many dwarf species behave well enough to become community fish. Another concern is the size of tank mates. Obviously, maintaining a school of Neon tetras with snakeheads is too much of a risk, so they should always be kept with fishes too large to be considered food. National Geographic has referred to snakeheads as "fishzilla" [6] and the National Geographic Channel reported the "northern snakehead reaches sexual maturity by age two or three. Each spawning-age female can release up to 15,000 eggs at once. Snakeheads can mate as often as five times a year. This means in just two years, a single female can release up to 150,000 eggs." [7] Upon being released from the York detention center, the passengers of the Golden Venture fanned out across the country. Michael Chen moved to Columbus, Ohio, and eventually opened his restaurant. But he worries that he could be deported at any time. In May, 2001, Zeng Hua Zheng, another passenger, who was living in Aurora, Colorado, was suddenly deported; soon afterward, the York lawyers who represent the Golden Venture’s passengers introduced a “private bill” to Congress which would obtain permanent status for the parolees. Private bills pass only by unanimous congressional approval, and so far the bill has failed twice. But the lawyers continue to resubmit it: as long as the parolees’ status is under consideration by Congress, they cannot be deported. The various species of snakeheads differ greatly in size; dwarf snakeheads, such as Channa orientalis, do not surpass 25cm (10in) in length. Most other snakeheads reach between 30 and 90cm (12 and 35in). Five species ( C. argus, C. barca, C. marulius, C. micropeltes, and C. striata) can reach 1m (3ft 3in) or more. [2] bribery, Hostage taking, Identity document forgery, Illegal immigration, money laundering, murder and People smugglingThis section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2011) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)

New York’s established Cantonese community saw the Fujianese as strivers and peasants. The Fujianese dialect is incomprehensible to Cantonese and Mandarin speakers, so the fledgling community was doubly isolated—a ghetto within a ghetto. East Broadway became known as “Fuzhou Street,” and the Chinatown shorthand for new arrivals was “eighteen-thousand-dollar men,” after the snakehead rate in the eighties. When we dated the split in the groups we came up with two ages,' says Ralf. 'The older age gives us a range of 85-130 million years ago and, to be honest, the very old one fits better with what we think has happened.' As a “snakehead,” she built a complex—and often vicious—global conglomerate, relying heavily on familial ties, and employing one of Chinatown's most violent gangs to protect her power and profits. Like an underworld CEO, Sister Ping created an intricate smuggling network that stretched from Fujian Province to Hong Kong to Burma to Thailand to Kenya to Guatemala to Mexico. Her ingenuity and drive were awe-inspiring both to the Chinatown community—where she was revered as a homegrown Don Corleone—and to the law enforcement officials who could never quite catch her.

These characteristics which are shared with fish outside of the regular snakeheads are known as primitive characteristics, as it is likely that they are similar to what ancient ancestors of snakehead fishes once had.

Although juveniles have an attractive colour pattern of a bright orange stripe running the length of the body, this rapidly fades with age and adults are a duller blue. A masterwork. . . . In this single tale about a global criminal, Keefe finds a story of quintessentially American hope.” Indeed, Sister Ping’s empire only came to light in 1993 when the Golden Venture, a ship loaded with 300 undocumented immigrants, ran aground off a Queens beach. It took New York’s fabled “Jade Squad” and the FBI nearly ten years to untangle the criminal network and home in on its unusual mastermind.The Snakehead is a character in the 3D Universe who appears as a minor character in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. He is the leader of the Da Nang Boys gang in San Fierro. He does speak in his only appearance although his voice actor is not credited. Perhaps the most telling illustration of the allure this country has for the Fujianese is the number of Golden Venture passengers who endured the voyage, imprisonment, and deportation, only to return to the United States. In 1998, Wang Wu Dong, who had been imprisoned and deported, was re-apprehended when a snakehead powerboat—the Oops II—ran aground off the Jersey shore. According to Peter Cohn, a filmmaker who has interviewed several of the passengers for a new documentary, scores of those who were deported have returned illegally.