This Fish might be a cryptid

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A bizarre-looking fish was found in a Brigham City pond. Apparently every single fish in the pond died of an unknown cause, but this particular fish was getting a lot of attention due to its fang-like teeth. Biologists aren’t sure exactly what kind of fish it is. Aquatics experts don’t believe it’s an alligator, a piranha or a snakehead. Aquatic biologists are leaning toward a lake trout…. with fangs. In any case… I’d stay out of the ponds in this neighborhood.

Source

This fish is freaky, and like 2 hours away from where I live. Strange... Anyway I was wondering if anyone here could Identify this fish for I have failed to do so.

[edit on 24-6-2009 by DaMod]

[edit on 24-6-2009 by DaMod]

reply to post by DaMod


it's a Chinese snake head fish

lots of photos here:
is.gd...

They don't beleive it is a snake head, and I can see why, doesn't look anything like it.

reply to post by DaMod


it is a snakehead read the British article here
www.popfi.com...

Here are the original stories on ksl.com :

Fanged fish creating mystery at Brigham City pond
Fish with fangs generates big response
photos
video

It's definitely a trout * alligator * eel.. right?

That thing they're showing looks incredibly dried out, like they took it from it's natural habitat and embalmed the [Snip] out of it. I don't know about this one. But it definitely looks cryptic I guess... I mean I wouldn't really know one unless it was something crazy epic like a yeti or Nessy.


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[edit on 24-6-2009 by mrwupy]

Its def a snake head, but how the hell did it get into the pond? It does say pond in the source. Pretty odd, what did it just show up like magic or somthing. Thats the question I would be asking.

reply to post by Paveway27


They can live in ponds naturally. They're also invasive. So they could easily end up in a pond.

en.wikipedia.org...

a bit creepy looking isn't it

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[edit on 25-6-2009 by Gemwolf]

I could be mistaken, but snakeheads seem to have a smooth upper lip (or part of the mouth anyway), while the photographed creature has a symmetrical jagged part at the outer corners, quite obviously a genetic feature.



Also the snakehead has relatively friendly bulgy eyes, while this thingy has tiny beads as eyes and big gaping holes next to them (although those may be decaying ears ).

[edit on 25-6-2009 by scraze]

Originally posted by scraze
I could be mistaken, but snakeheads seem to have a smooth upper lip (or part of the mouth anyway), while the photographed creature has a symmetrical jagged part at the outer corners, quite obviously a genetic feature.



Also the snakehead has relatively friendly bulgy eyes, while this thingy has tiny beads as eyes and big gaping holes next to them (although those may be decaying ears

).

[edit on 25-6-2009 by scraze]

I agree, the features on the upper lip are not in line with that of any snake head species I've found. I also noticed the eyes as you have pointed out. If you look at the other pictures of snake heads provided, it does not coincide with this fish. Also the teeth of this specimen and a snakehead does not match up. Not to mention "Aquatics experts don’t believe it’s an alligator, a piranha or a snakehead." I know we don't really give scientists much credit here on ATS but for god's sake they study fish for a living! They went to school and learned about fish and fish alone! They can identify species.

[edit on 25-6-2009 by DaMod]

I'm giving it another bit of research. I'll be back.

Aquatics experts don't believe it's an alligator, a piranha or a snakehead fish for that matter. Craig Schaugaard, aquatic manager for the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), says, "It does have an adipose fin, which is common in trout species." Aquatic biologists are leaning toward a lake trout.

Snakeheads don't have that particular fin. Snakeheads also have long dorsal and ventral fins, and this fish doesn't.

Another guess was a walleye. However, the mystery fish doesn't have spiny fins, which are a trademark of the walleye. Schaugaard says, "It's not going to be a new species, but it could be a species that's not native to Utah, like an aquarium fish."

www.ksl.com...

Where did this fish come from, and more importantly, what is it? The mystery started a couple weeks ago when every fish in the pond went belly up. Ben Boyce, with the Brigham City Corporation, said "Approximately 4,000 fish, when the ice came off the pond, were discovered to be dead."

The pond may have been poisoned, or the water may have run out of oxygen due to the thick ice. "We just have no way of knowing," Schaugaard said.

Among the dead were the species the pond had been stocked with, along with the unexpected -carp, goldfish, and the mystery fish that was found in the parking lot, apparently dragged by an animal. "It's been decomposed. It's been run over," Schaugaard said.

Biologists say it's not a new species. They believe the fish could be a Lake Trout whose tissue decomposed rapidly, making its teeth more prominent.

It could also be a cast-off, a pet fish dumped by someone tired of taking care of it. "We would be appreciative if the aquarium fish didn't come to our pond," Boyce said.

www.koaa.com...

Something is weird in that pond, but this fish was runover. It looks like the jaw is misaligned and it's flattened. So it could totally be a trout.

[edit on 6/25/2009 by ravenshadow13]

reply to post by ravenshadow13


Actually, I'm going fly fishing for trout tomorrow. Plus I'm going to hit up a Lake and see if I can catch a lake trout. I'll make sure to take pictures of the teeth and head!

I don't think the fish in question's head was run over. A car or even a bicycle would have flattened the skull. And when I say flat I mean paper flat. The head still has depth which is not consistent of a car running over a fish's fragile skull.

reply to post by DaMod


Did you read my post?
"Among the dead were the species the pond had been stocked with, along with the unexpected -carp, goldfish, and the mystery fish that was found in the parking lot, apparently dragged by an animal. "It's been decomposed. It's been run over," Schaugaard said.

Biologists say it's not a new species. They believe the fish could be a Lake Trout whose tissue decomposed rapidly, making its teeth more prominent. "

It was run over. They found it in a parking lot.

It looks like a rotting bowfin. They have teeth and a long, slender body like that.

reply to post by ravenshadow13


Bowfin can "walk" out of the water in low oxygen areas. Kind of odd that this would be the only fish to be dragged away by some animal.

I think somebody transplanted a bowfin.

its a shame we cant see the whole body ect, as teh shape of the back of it would help.

i think it looks more like a monk fish, its hard to tell though as the one in the pic is dead and looks pretty dry.

the fish in the link ( www.popfi.com... ) looks very similar, but again, the heads to big, verticly, the one in the pic looks alot flatter.

[edit on 27-6-2009 by boaby_phet]

Yeah Bowfin Looks a lot closer than a snake head or a trout.

i think its somekind of an eel seeing those pics but it sure is one nasty eel then

that thing looks freaky.