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]

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."

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.