Burrowing Catfish Threaten Canals

[matcom]

<snip>

CLEWISTON, Fla. -- An invasive catfish that can burrow holes in canal banks is threatening the safety of dikes and levees around Florida's largest lake.

Unlike native catfish, the South American catfish are protected by a flexible bony armor with saw-toothed barbs. They can grow to more than 2 feet and wreak ecological havoc: bulldozing aquatic plants, churning silt, competing with native species and accidentally scarfing up smaller fish.

The population of the South American sailfin catfish is exploding in Lake Okeechobee, and the spiky fish has burrowed 3-foot holes between Clewiston and Moore Haven, about 15 miles.

"They're everywhere," said Jan Jeffrey Hoover, a Mississippi-based biologist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

http://www.wftv.com/newsofthestrange/3442639/detail.html

[EstimatedProphet]

1. Exotic species are a bad thing

They have no natural restraints, because they're not from here.
So, when travelling abroad, don't bring back animals.

[DS1]

2. bony dike reaming fishy things

is that sexist?

[matcom]

3. my original thread title was supposed to be....

exotic fish threatening Dykes

but i got better :D

[DS1]

4. careful, you might break your water if you keep tunneling like that