These live Asian swamp eels were imported from southeast Asia and sold in an urban food market in the U.S. Raw or undercooked Asian swamp eels could transmit a parasitic infection called gnathostomiasis to consumers, and wild eels could become widespread in some U.S. waters.
What is an Asian swamp eel and what does it look like?
Swamp eels are freshwater fish, but they are not closely related to other living eels or snake-like marine and freshwater fishes. In addition to the name swamp eel, other English common names used for members of this group of fish include rice eel, rice-paddy eel, and belut. The swamp eel family includes more than a dozen species.
Asian swamp eels may be confused with a number of native animals, including the native American eel, as well as several eel-like amphibians such as sirens and amphiumas. But unlike the American eel, swamp eels do not migrate to the ocean to spawn. The swamp eel has a snake-like body with no noticeable scales or fins. The head is relatively short and the teeth are small and not easily seen. The gill opening forms a V-shape on the lower throat area. The body and head are dark, sometimes dark olive or brown above, and their underside is usually lighter, often light orange. Some are brightly colored with yellow, black, and gold spots over a light tan or almost-white background. The skin produces a thick mucous layer making the eels difficult to hold.
Related
How can the spread of Asian swamp eels be prevented?
The USGS focus is to document the eel’s geographic distribution and to learn as much as possible about its behavior and biology. The resulting information is considered critical in helping to develop strategies aimed at containing or controlling its spread. Meanwhile, catching and transporting Asian swamp eels for use as bait, food, or aquarium pets is highly discouraged.
What is an invasive species and why are they a problem?
An invasive species is an introduced, nonnative organism (disease, parasite, plant, or animal) that begins to spread or expand its range from the site of its original introduction and that has the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or to human health. A few well-known examples include the unintentional introduction of the West Nile virus, chestnut blight, the South American...
What are Invasive Carp?
Carp are not native to North American waters, but various carp species have been introduced here since the mid-1800s, much to the detriment of native fish. Although carp eradication measures have been active for over 100 years, long-established species, like the common carp, are present in almost every state. Invasive carp (bighead, black, grass, and silver carp) were imported to the United States...
What are zebra mussels and why should we care about them?
Zebra mussels are an invasive, fingernail-sized mollusk that is native to fresh waters in Eurasia. Their name comes from the dark, zig-zagged stripes on each shell. Zebra mussels probably arrived in the Great Lakes in the 1980s via ballast water that was discharged by large ships from Europe. They have spread rapidly throughout the Great Lakes region and into the large rivers of the eastern...
What are snakeheads?
Snakeheads are air-breathing freshwater fishes that are not native to North America. In scientific terms, snakeheads are divided into two distinct genera: Channa (snakeheads of Asia, Malaysia, and Indonesia) Parachanna (African snakeheads) In the summer of 2002 and again in late spring 2004, Channa argus, the northern snakehead, generated national media attention when anglers caught this fish in a...
Live Asian Swamp Eels Sold in a U.S. Market
These live Asian swamp eels were imported from southeast Asia and sold in an urban food market in the U.S. Raw or undercooked Asian swamp eels could transmit a parasitic infection called gnathostomiasis to consumers, and wild eels could become widespread in some U.S. waters.
Live Asian Swamp Eels Sold in a U.S. Market
These live Asian swamp eels were imported from southeast Asia and sold in an urban food market in the U.S. Raw or undercooked Asian swamp eels could transmit a parasitic infection called gnathostomiasis to consumers, and wild eels could become widespread in some U.S. waters.
These live Asian swamp eels were imported from southeast Asia and sold in an urban food market in the U.S. Raw or undercooked Asian swamp eels could transmit a parasitic infection called gnathostomiasis to consumers, and wild eels could become widespread in some U.S. waters.
How did Asian swamp eels get here?
Listen to hear the answer.
What do Asian swamp eels eat?
Starting next Wednesday, July 30, CoreFacts will be delivered once a week instead of daily, in order to bring you better content. Please let us know how you feel about CoreFacts via an e-mail to corecast@usgs.gov. Listen to hear the answer.
Starting next Wednesday, July 30, CoreFacts will be delivered once a week instead of daily, in order to bring you better content. Please let us know how you feel about CoreFacts via an e-mail to corecast@usgs.gov. Listen to hear the answer.
Asian Swamp Eels: Predation on Juvenile Largemouth Bass
Non-native or introduced populations of Asian Swamp Eels (family: Synbranchidae) exist in the wild in parts of Florida, Georgia, and Hawaii. This video shows predatory behavior of captive individuals.
Non-native or introduced populations of Asian Swamp Eels (family: Synbranchidae) exist in the wild in parts of Florida, Georgia, and Hawaii. This video shows predatory behavior of captive individuals.
Related
How can the spread of Asian swamp eels be prevented?
The USGS focus is to document the eel’s geographic distribution and to learn as much as possible about its behavior and biology. The resulting information is considered critical in helping to develop strategies aimed at containing or controlling its spread. Meanwhile, catching and transporting Asian swamp eels for use as bait, food, or aquarium pets is highly discouraged.
What is an invasive species and why are they a problem?
An invasive species is an introduced, nonnative organism (disease, parasite, plant, or animal) that begins to spread or expand its range from the site of its original introduction and that has the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or to human health. A few well-known examples include the unintentional introduction of the West Nile virus, chestnut blight, the South American...
What are Invasive Carp?
Carp are not native to North American waters, but various carp species have been introduced here since the mid-1800s, much to the detriment of native fish. Although carp eradication measures have been active for over 100 years, long-established species, like the common carp, are present in almost every state. Invasive carp (bighead, black, grass, and silver carp) were imported to the United States...
What are zebra mussels and why should we care about them?
Zebra mussels are an invasive, fingernail-sized mollusk that is native to fresh waters in Eurasia. Their name comes from the dark, zig-zagged stripes on each shell. Zebra mussels probably arrived in the Great Lakes in the 1980s via ballast water that was discharged by large ships from Europe. They have spread rapidly throughout the Great Lakes region and into the large rivers of the eastern...
What are snakeheads?
Snakeheads are air-breathing freshwater fishes that are not native to North America. In scientific terms, snakeheads are divided into two distinct genera: Channa (snakeheads of Asia, Malaysia, and Indonesia) Parachanna (African snakeheads) In the summer of 2002 and again in late spring 2004, Channa argus, the northern snakehead, generated national media attention when anglers caught this fish in a...
Live Asian Swamp Eels Sold in a U.S. Market
These live Asian swamp eels were imported from southeast Asia and sold in an urban food market in the U.S. Raw or undercooked Asian swamp eels could transmit a parasitic infection called gnathostomiasis to consumers, and wild eels could become widespread in some U.S. waters.
These live Asian swamp eels were imported from southeast Asia and sold in an urban food market in the U.S. Raw or undercooked Asian swamp eels could transmit a parasitic infection called gnathostomiasis to consumers, and wild eels could become widespread in some U.S. waters.
Live Asian Swamp Eels Sold in a U.S. Market
These live Asian swamp eels were imported from southeast Asia and sold in an urban food market in the U.S. Raw or undercooked Asian swamp eels could transmit a parasitic infection called gnathostomiasis to consumers, and wild eels could become widespread in some U.S. waters.
These live Asian swamp eels were imported from southeast Asia and sold in an urban food market in the U.S. Raw or undercooked Asian swamp eels could transmit a parasitic infection called gnathostomiasis to consumers, and wild eels could become widespread in some U.S. waters.
How did Asian swamp eels get here?
Listen to hear the answer.
What do Asian swamp eels eat?
Starting next Wednesday, July 30, CoreFacts will be delivered once a week instead of daily, in order to bring you better content. Please let us know how you feel about CoreFacts via an e-mail to corecast@usgs.gov. Listen to hear the answer.
Starting next Wednesday, July 30, CoreFacts will be delivered once a week instead of daily, in order to bring you better content. Please let us know how you feel about CoreFacts via an e-mail to corecast@usgs.gov. Listen to hear the answer.
Asian Swamp Eels: Predation on Juvenile Largemouth Bass
Non-native or introduced populations of Asian Swamp Eels (family: Synbranchidae) exist in the wild in parts of Florida, Georgia, and Hawaii. This video shows predatory behavior of captive individuals.
Non-native or introduced populations of Asian Swamp Eels (family: Synbranchidae) exist in the wild in parts of Florida, Georgia, and Hawaii. This video shows predatory behavior of captive individuals.
Updated Date: March 19, 2025