Chicago Wildlife News: Shipment of illegal fish seized at O'Hare

Shipment of illegal fish seized at O'Hare

(POSTED: 3/7/11) A shipment of tropical fish commonly found in pet shops was recently confiscated at O'Hare Airport for breaking the City of Chicago’s invasive species ordinance, officials said.

During a routine customs inspection at the airport, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife agent discovered approximately 350 Oriental weather loaches imported from China by a fish wholesaler based in Norridge.

Weather loaches, which are dull brown fish that resemble eels with whiskers around their mouths, are illegal to possess in Chicago because the fish are considered a potential threat to the native environment if released into local waterways.

“They are really not preying on other fish, but they could compete for food with native species and that could be the concern,” said Jim Robinett, vice president of legislation and regulation at the Shedd Aquarium. “We don’t know at this time if they are a problem or not. Because we don’t know, we don’t want to find out the hard way.”

Chicago’s Department of Environment issued a $100 ticket -- the minimum fine -- to the wholesaler for violating the city ordinance, which passed in 2007.

Weather loaches, however, are legal to own in the suburbs and elsewhere in the state. In fact, the fish are fairly popular in household aquariums.

“They are thought of as scavengers so they help keep the aquarium clean,” said Robert Rung, a stream biologist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. “They are kind of cute. They’ll burrow down in the gravel and their head will peek out. It’s an interesting fish to watch, and it will usually outlast your other fish.”

Rung said he has already seen several weather loaches in local waterways, including the Chicago River, Des Plaines River and Calumet River, and it appears they are “benign.”

Even still, “it’s never a good thing to bring a fish or another organism in,” he said. “It’s never going to be a free ride; you are going to have some sort of complications.”

As for the seized weather loaches, some will be displayed at the Shedd in the museum’s invasive species exhibit and others will be used for research.

By Katie Drews, for ChicagoWildlifeNews.com
Contact: [email protected]

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