Are there any Dangerous Fish in the Great Lakes?

The Discovery Channel created a false news report and video of a bull Shark swimming in Lake Ontario. This was a marketing stunt that went wrong. Although it was a joke to promote Shark Week, many people were concerned. The stunt was discovered earlier than expected, and they quickly admitted it was a prosthetic shark. Despite occasional claims to the contrary, no sharks are found in the Great Lakes. However, dangerous Fish are living in the Great Lakes.

Are Dangerous Fish Found in Great Lakes?

Yes. Yes. There is much dangerous Fish that live in Great Lakes. They are not native to the lakes but were introduced accidentally or intentionally. Exotic fish owners who keep them in aquariums will often release them if they become too large or unable to care for them. This is a big mistake that can cause havoc to the natural ecosystem. Invasive Fish can kill and eat many species of vegetation and other species, causing havoc to the habitat. The Great Lakes’ most dangerous Fish are the sea lamprey, the snakehead and the Pacu. See photos of these Fish.

What’s a Pacu?

Pacu is a large freshwater fish in the Amazon River, South America. Although it is closely related to the Piranhas, it has distinct teeth. Although it looks like they have photo-shopped teeth, these Fish have human-like teeth. Although they have a strong jaw and a painless bite, these Fish are not aggressive. This is the problem with keeping these exotic Fish in your aquarium. They can grow up to 3 feet long!

Has Pacus Been Discovered in the Great Lakes?

The Michigan DNR received three reports in 2016 about a Pacu that appeared strangely-shaped appearing in the Great Lakes. They report that every year one of these strange-looking Pacu is found in the Great Lakes. No schools of these Fish in the Great Lakes exist, so it is not a problem. However, it only takes a few apex prey species to overtake an ecosystem. A Pacu was found in Glade Run Lake, Butler County, Pennsylvania, on January 12, 2021. The Pacu was approximately 12 inches in length and had been dead for some time. They are warm-water Fish, so they cannot withstand cold temperatures. It is unlikely that Pacu would survive winters in the Great Lakes.

What’s a Snakehead?

These Fish aren’t very popular, as you can see from their name. Their head looks almost like a snake. They aren’t native to the Great Lakes, causing problems due to their ferocious appetite. Snakeheads are long, narrow Fish with snake-like heads. They also have a mouth full of teeth. They have a moulted snake-like appearance to their colouration. Adults can grow up to 3 feet in length. You can see the damage they can inflict because they eat in schools. Snakeheads are often called “Frakenfish” as they can live on land for between 3-7 days. Although they must remain wet, they can use their air bladders to extract air and live. Amazing! Amazingly, there is no breeding population of snakeheads at the Great Lakes.

What’s a Sea Lamprey?

The sea lamprey will surprise you if you think the first two Fish are “unique”. Imagine yourself enjoying a June day on Lake Michigan while floating on a floaty, looking down to see one of these. Sea Lampreys have become a problem in the Great Lakes. Sea Lampreys are parasitic Fish. They use their suction-cup mouth with its tooth-filled suction cups to attach to other Fish. They feed on other Fish, which often leads to their death.

Why is Sea Lamprey a Dangerous Fish of Great Lakes?

Since the 1940s, sea lampreys have been a problem. The addition of a canal at Niagara Falls allowed the sea lamprey to enter the Great Lakes. They were able to take over the Great Lakes with very few predators and a rapid reproductive rate. For example, the lake trout population was around 15,000,000 before the sea lampreys arrived. This number had fallen to 300,000. Consider all the people who depended upon the trout industry and are now without work. Conservationists are still trying to control to reduce their numbers.

Are Sea Lampreys harmful to humans?

Sea Lampreys do not pose a danger to humans. They don’t bite or latch on to people, and you can easily eliminate them. They take a while to suction themselves onto the host. People wouldn’t allow a sea lamprey to do that. The length of sea lampreys is approximately 1-2 feet, and they have a large, circular mouth.

Are there Piranhas in the Great Lakes

No. No piranhas are found in the Great Lakes. There are occasional reports that piranhas have been released into lakes by people. However, there is no breeding population. The Amazon River basin, South America, is home to red-bellied piranhas. Their mouth is full of sharp teeth and can grow to 4 pounds in length. They are not like Pacu’s human teeth. They can also be dangerous in large groups of 20 fish or more. Piranhas can live up to 10 years, so conservationists have been trying to keep them away from the Great Lakes.