This creature surfaced next to my boat today while fishing a bass tournament.  How and why is this crap in our lakes.  South Florida.

http://elmersaquarium.com/10knifefish.htm

It was probably in someones fish tank and they released it into the lake because it was eating all the other fish. How big was the one that you saw anyway?

It looked about 1 1/2 - 2 feet long

Weird. It seems like more and more people are releasing their exotic fish into public waters. :

Weird. It seems like more and more people are releasing their exotic fish into public waters. :

Yeah tell me about it. Since I started fishing consistantly again which was at the begginning of the year I have caught two tropical fish and a koi carp....

It was probably someone's pet and it got to big for the aquarium they were keeping it in so they released it.

South Florida is warm enough for them to survive. If there there more then one, you can probably add a new species to your freshwater fish list.

   Its definately a tropical fish. Its a nocturnal fish originating from southeast Asia. It is a freshwater fish and should definately NOT be in our lakes. People with aquariums need to quit this crap.

I feel like taking my castnet and netting and killing anything that is not a bass, catfish, speck, bream, bluegill, or anything not native.

Hey Bassn Blvd,

If you do catch the fish don't kill it. Check with pet stores in your area. We have a store in my area that buys exotic fish that people don't want and sells them to other people. You might make some money.

Falcon

Yes, that is a common freshwater tank fish.

Store owners may fear that it could be carrying disease, virus' or parasites after being in wild water but worth a shot.  All it takes is a week in a sterile bath with aquarisol to clean him up.

Hey Bassn Blvd,

If you do catch the fish don't kill it. Check with pet stores in your area. We have a store in my area that buys exotic fish that people don't want and sells them to other people. You might make some money.

Falcon

Yep!     8-)

Yes, that is a common freshwater tank fish.

Store owners may fear that it could be carrying disease, virus' or parasites after being in wild water but worth a shot. All it takes is a week in a sterile bath with aquarisol to clean him up.

Fully agree on that!

This thing was caught by friend of mine a couple of weeks ago;

Yes, that is a common freshwater tank fish.

Store owners may fear that it could be carrying disease, virus' or parasites after being in wild water but worth a shot.  All it takes is a week in a sterile bath with aquarisol to clean him up.

Just tell'm you had it in your fish tank but now it's too big. No need to disclose that it was caught in an open lake!