Channa Legality?

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Get your licenses first, fish second...

I had to kill off 19 of our fish on exhibit (out of about a thousand we maintain) myself... as a consequence of our venture applying for licenses to exhibit prohibited and conditional fish species and the ensuing inspections by the Florida Wildlife Commission. I knew what unlicensed fish I had...
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Here is the thread.
 
Supergeorge123 said:
Is it illegal to catch them and keep them in an aquarium though?
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Yes, from what I know Channa must not be released if caught aka dispatch upon catch.

A shop here (Known for skating the law) imported a snakehead which was confiscated and left them with a fine. Guy (who does know fish quite well) claimed it was a ropefish...

But to answer OP, snakehead are not legal anywhere in the states.
 
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Hendre said:
Yes, from what I know Channa must not be released if caught aka dispatch upon catch.

A shop here (Known for skating the law) imported a snakehead which was confiscated and left them with a fine. Guy (who does know fish quite well) claimed it was a ropefish...

But to answer OP, snakehead are not legal anywhere in the states.
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I know that in the mid atlantic states you are not required to kill them if you catch them. https://www.chesapeakebay.net/S=0/fieldguide/critter/northern_snakehead

As duanes and myself have pointed out they are fairly similar to bowfins
so that could be an alternative if you are interested.
 
It’s a shame there aren’t any dwarf bowfin like the rainbow snakehead is a dwarf snakehead.
 
Pike cichlids kinda have a shape of a snakehead in my opinion, that’s why I got a dwarf pike cichlid since I can’t legally get a snakehead.
 
duanes said:
If you'd like a snake head "like" fish in the U.S., the Amia calva, would be an great alternative.
They look so much like snake heads they are often confused with them.
They are often considered "rough " fish to anglers, I used to see them when snorkeling in Wisconsin lakes, and are found Florida and north into Canada.
Amia calva – Discover Fisheshttps://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu › discover-fish › species-profiles › ami...
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Yep,the bowfin is an excellent alternative to a snakehead.I've often wondered why they are not more sought after or commonly kept in the hobby.
 
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Probably depends on the keeper and their location. I would love to have a bowfin, but I know my DIFW would never allow it.
 
Wow. That seems like a great alternative to a snakehead. I will definitely look into them when I get set up in my new location.

Itsadeepbluesea Itsadeepbluesea what is DIFW?
 
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